"A Journey of Knowledge - 'The Travels of Marco Polo' and its Legacy between East and West" opened to the public at the China Millennium Monument Art Museum in Beijing from July 26 to Nov 24, showcasing the historical fruits of exchanges between the West and the East.
It is one of the events to celebrate the legacy of Venetian merchant Marco Polo on the 700th anniversary of his passing, and to mark the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Italy.
The exhibition showcases 135 artifacts sourced from 13 cultural institutions in Italy and two in China, including medieval parchments, oil paintings, sculptures, textiles, and weapons.
"[The exhibition] features a wide variety of items. We have detailed requirements to display them clearly in a panoramic way, revealing all parts and details. In the dimly lit galleries, visitors can enjoy the same high-level care given to the artifacts, as the temperature, humidity and lighting are all strictly controlled and monitored with data recorded every day," said Jiang Haimei, planning director of the museum, in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
Divided into six sections, the exhibition takes visitors along the Old Silk Road, retracing Marco Polo's journey and exploring intercultural exchanges across Eurasia from the 13th to the 19th centuries.
"Marco Polo was not only a historical figure, a traveler and a merchant, but today he is a cultural symbol that is open, inclusive, altruistic and friendly, or we can say he is an open figure. Although Marco Polo himself is not prominently featured in our exhibits - except for a few of his books and his will - his spirit runs throughout," she said.
Curators from China and Italy worked together to present the exhibition. Guicciardo Sassoli de' Bianchi Strozzi, an Italian curator, introduced one of the highlight exhibits, an ancient map, to CGTN.
"I'm pleased to talk about the Fra Mauro map that has been done in Venice in the middle of the 15th century. And that is one of the first view of the entire world made thanks to the "Il Milione" [travels] of Marco Polo. Especially there's Italy that is shown on the opposite, because at that time the maps were done in the opposite way, not like nowadays. And there is also the entire China with all the descriptions of monuments and cities on the entire China. And that is wonderful to think that from Venice we were creating an idea of China through Marco Polo. So it is a wonderful example of relations between the countries since centuries, till of course nowadays and the future," he said.
Exhibition highlights Marco Polo's legacy in East-West cultural exchange
China is accelerating efforts to build low-altitude infrastructure, with new takeoff and landing facilities, communication networks, and digital systems being constructed in key cities to facilitate the development of this rapidly growing sector.
Low-altitude economy refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.
In southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a newly operational rooftop helipad is a key part of the city's push to expand its low-altitude economy. Originally built for fire safety, the helipad has been repurposed with plans for a new aerial sightseeing route in the surrounding area.
"We've estimated the investment, and it's relatively modest since the foundational infrastructure is already in place. The costs will likely be in the range of a few million yuan. If rooftop helipads are connected, it could create an aerial transportation network that links different buildings together," said Kuang Hu, vice chairman of Guangdong Yuehai Land Group.
Shenzhen aims to complete over 1,200 low-altitude facilities by 2026, with the local government offering subsidies of up to 2 million yuan (over 270,000 U.S. dollars) per project. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to create a seamless low-altitude infrastructure ecosystem that integrates airspace management, flight paths, and services.
"By the end of 2026, the district aims to complete 100 low-altitude infrastructure projects," said Chen Wenlei, deputy director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Luohu District, Shenzhen.
"We are in the process of establishing a comprehensive network that includes infrastructure, airspace management, flight paths, and services. By integrating these four key networks into a unified low-altitude standard system, we aim to promote the seamless opening and integration of low-altitude airspace infrastructure and systems," said Cheng Tao, executive secretary of the Shenzhen Low-altitude Economy Industry Association.
In Shanghai, the East China UAV Base has been approved for testing new drones, technologies, and services within a 1,370-square-kilometer airspace. A newly deployed 5G base station at the base offers both communication and radar-like sensing capabilities, essential for managing low-altitude airspace.
"Currently, the station covers a radius of several kilometers, offering crucial data such as the aircraft's latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and other key metrics. Once airborne, all types of aircraft require communication. For those flying below 300 meters, we can provide tailored coverage for their flight paths," said Du Yanyan, deputy general manager of the Planning and Technology Department at China Mobile Shanghai.
Experts say that technologies like 5G and the BeiDou navigation system are essential to supporting China's low-altitude infrastructure. However, they emphasize the need for network interoperability to address challenges as drones and aircraft transition between regions.
"The low-altitude communication and sensing networks being developed in various regions each follow different technical approaches. For example, when a drone travels from Area A to Area B, it must switch networks, and addressing these challenges promptly is crucial," said Du Jiadong, head of the network and application group at the Low-altitude Economy Research Center, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates that the country's low-altitude market will soar from 500 billion yuan in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025 and as much as 3.5 trillion yuan in 2035.
This year, for the first time, the term "low-altitude economy" was included in the Chinese government's work report, signifying an official endorsement that has emboldened numerous cities.
Infrastructure networks rapidly taking shape to boost low-altitude economy
