By Mariatou Ngum & Abdou Mbye
Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency Mohammed B.S. Jallow, continued his official tour of Tianjin on Sunday, June 8, 2026, undertaking a series of high-profile visits to some of the city’s most celebrated landmarks in smart city development, community services, international education and advanced technology. The visits were organised by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and China Global Television Network (CGTN).
The delegation’s first stop was the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Smart City, a flagship intergovernmental cooperation project jointly developed by China and Singapore and recognised as the world’s first eco-city built through state-to-state cooperation. The initiative is designed to address global climate change, strengthen environmental protection and provide a replicable model for sustainable urban development worldwide.
At the heart of the Eco-City’s smart infrastructure is the “City Brain” platform, which leverages drones, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies to deliver intelligent governance and services across more than 20 government departments. The platform has been selected as one of the first national typical cases of “Digital China” construction and is the only such case from Tianjin, underscoring its significance as a model for cities across the country and beyond.
The delegation subsequently visited the Eco-City No.1 Community Center, opened in July 2016 and spanning 15,000 square metres, the center serves five surrounding communities with a combined population of approximately 30,000 residents. It integrates public services, medical and healthcare facilities, cultural and sports amenities, administrative management and commercial services under one roof. Through the innovative “space for services” model, the center has introduced unique offerings including the “Hele Ji” University for the Elderly and the “Buzhi Shiji” cultural shop, catering to residents of all ages. The center is seamlessly connected to community parks, schools and hospitals via green walking paths, embodying the Eco-City’s vision of a “10-minute low-carbon green travel and convenient living circle.”
The third visit of the day took the Vice President and his delegation to the Luban Workshop Construction and Development Experience Hall, a showcase of China’s internationally acclaimed vocational education programme under the Belt and Road Initiative. Tianjin has so far established 26 Luban Workshops in 24 countries, including 10 workshops across 8 member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The newly expanded Experience Hall, which opened in July 2025 across 1,700 square metres, presents the programme’s global reach through five distinct zones, including an interactive EPIP experience zone and a cultural exhibition zone, with the support of AI cloud technology to offer immersive and diversified visitor experiences.
The day’s final stop was Galileo (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd., one of China’s most decorated robotics and technology enterprises. Recognised as a National High-tech Enterprise and a National “Little Giant” Enterprise, Galileo has developed the largest variety of fully self-developed robots in China, spanning intelligent bionic robot series, embodied intelligence brain platforms, radar products and satellite communication systems. The company’s technologies find application in rail transit, industrial inspection, emergency rescue and intelligent security sectors. In 2026 alone, Galileo claimed four awards at the Robot Warrior Challenge, including two championships, and secured top positions at two other major national robotics competitions, cementing its standing at the forefront of China’s technology industry.The day’s engagements offered Vice President Jallow and his delegation a comprehensive view of China’s achievements in sustainable urban development, community-centred governance, international people-to-people cooperation and frontier technology innovation. The visits are expected to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between The Gambia and the People’s Republic of China.