The China-aided parliament building and government building in the Tajik capital city of Dushanbe will become new landmarks embodying the new symbols of cooperation between China and Tajikistan.
Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on Friday attended the inauguration of a new parliament building and a government building aided by China in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
Entering the parliament building together, the two heads of state viewed the presentation boards introducing the China-aided project, and jointly unveiled plaques for the two buildings.
The new parliament building stands 50 meters tall, reaching 70 meters including the dome, and covers a total area of 43,000 square meters. Both this building and the new government headquarters were constructed by Chinese firms, showcasing the latest collaboration between China and Tajikistan.
"Since the beginning of the construction, I have been working in this facility, together with experienced Chinese engineers who used the highest quality technologies and materials to construct this building," said Bobokhon Amirzoda, construction manager of the new parliament building.
The government building, located just a few hundred meters from the parliament building, covers a total area of 46,000 square meters, slightly larger than the parliament building.
"We are deeply honored and very proud to contribute to the development of the friendship between the Chinese and Tajik people," said Zhang Tongyi, general manager of China IPPR International Engineering.
Most materials, from lights to columns, were shipped here from China. The company said that each of these is carved from one single slab of stone. In fact, some 10,000 tons of stone from China were used for the two buildings.
The auditorium in the building can accommodate up to 800 people for meetings. These intricate Persian-style carvings are a prominent feature in the interior design of many famous Tajik buildings.
"The intricate designs of the interior finishes and the facade were done jointly by Tajik and Chinese teams," said Zhang.
Now, the two buildings are set to perform important functions in Tajikistan's governance and administration.
China-aided landmark buildings represent new symbols of China-Tajikistan cooperation
Beijing has stepped up efforts to provide support to international travelers with enhanced service centers and assistance points being set up at airports in the Chinese capital, as the expansion of visa-free policies in China sees the arrival of more people from overseas.
One-stop service counters have been operational in the international arrival areas of the Beijing Capital International Airport and the city's Daxing International Airport since the start of the year.
The counters offer over 20 types of essential services in areas such as finance, communication, transportation, culture and tourism, ensuring foreign visitors can find convenient information to help their travel go smoothly.
Foreign travelers can visit the counters to make cash withdrawals with their bank cards, exchange currency, and get help with downloading local mobile payment apps.
In the Mobile Services area, services such as the issuance of SIM cards for mobile phones and airport Wi-Fi access are provided.
Wang Shuo, an employee from China Unicom, one of the country's largest telecoms companies, introduced a special SIM card which is being offered to international travelers.
"It basically has three basic functions. First, it works like a regular SIM card, which means you can make phone calls and go on the Internet. Another one is you can make a payment with it without download any apps. You don't need Alipay, you don't need to download WeChat. The last function will be [for] taking public transportation, which means you can take buses or the subway," he said.
Additionally, travelers can buy a 'Beijing Pass' -- a versatile card designed to simplify transportation, sightseeing and shopping payments.
The counters also offer help and advice on how to buy subway tickets or airport shuttle bus passes, while a selection of brochures featuring cultural, sports and business activities are also available.
Staff say they are on-hand around the clock to offer assistance to all arrivals.
"We are here 24 hours a day and seven days a week. And if you have any questions, just come to this counter. We will try our best to help you and we always provide information about the terminal facilities and transportation and how to use the mobile payments and the common applications in China," said Cai Pengcheng, a staff member at a service center at the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Beijing continues to enhance services, assistance for int'l visitors
