China Science & Technology Digest:
November 1-15, 2003

ATIP

This digest summarizes S&T-related articles that appeared in the media ATIP monitored in the first half of November 2003. Some articles reference a relevant website to assist readers in obtaining further information. For questions or to request additional information, please send email to ChinaST@atip.or.jp. The exchange rate used for this issue is RMB8.287 against the U.S. dollar.

China-Made Large CPU Chip Completes Testing
The MicroProcessor R&D Center of Peking University and Agilent Technologies, a leading US semiconductor testing resolution provider, have developed the Beida Zhongzhi--863 CPU system chip, the largest of its kind in China. The chip has passed testing at the Agilent 93000 testing system. The Beida Zhongzhi--863 CPU system chip is to be used on computers with high-speed and high-reliability network environments, serving e-business, enterprise informalization, education informalization, and so on. The system incorporates about 8 million transistors.
Source: People's Daily 11/05/2003

China Launches Science Satellite
China launched a recoverable science experimental satellite into a preset orbit, atop a Long March 2 D carrier rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, Northwest China, on November 3. The satellite is expected to remain in orbit for 18 days before returning to Earth. This is the 18th recoverable satellite developed by China. The satellite is mainly used for scientific research, land surveying, mapping, and other scientific experiments. With a launch mass of 251 tons, the launch vehicle, which is 40.6 meters in length, was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Technology with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 11/03/2003

China Tests World's First Non-Steel Launch Tower
China's most recent recoverable science experimental satellite was launched from the world's first satellite testing and launch tower with a structure of cement reinforced by steel bars. The tower, 91 meters high, replaces the commonly used steel structure. Located at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the tower is used for assembling, testing, and launching satellites and rockets, as well as injecting propellants. The building comprises more than 40 testing workshops and closed rooms, providing all-weather pre-launch testing. The new launch tower represents the country's first versatile launch facility capable of testing and launching different models of satellites.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 11/05/2003

China Launches Space Environmental Research Center
China has created a space environmental research center to provide space environmental data and analyses for China's manned space program and other outer space activities. The center is connected to the CAS Center for Space Science and Applied Research, the National Observatory, the CAS Institute of Physics and Mathematics in Wuhan, the CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics, the Chinese University of Science and Technology, and the CAS Institute of Atmospheric Physics. One important goal of the center is to oversee land-based and space-based space monitoring equipment owned by the CAS. In the coming years, scientists will be required to describe and forecast the space environment, analyze space environmental effects, and conduct studies for military use.
Source: People's Daily 11/10/2003

China to Build World's First Satellite Group
China is to build the world's first satellite group for disaster reduction and environmental protection. The world's first constellation consisting of eight satellites will be in place within the next eight years to monitor natural disaster and help environmental protection. In cooperation with other countries, China will develop and launch three or four satellites in two to three years and the rest of the eight satellites in five to eight years from now to set up the constellation. Circling over 700 kilometers above the earth, the eight satellites will monitor the natural condition of the planet and the images and data they send back will be used first by Asia-Pacific countries.
Source: China Daily 11/11/2003

China to Launch Shenzhou-6 within Two Years
China will launch Shenzhou-6, carrying more than one astronaut, within two years, and the spacecraft will stay in orbit for more than 24 hours. Shenzhou-6 is designed to carry one to three astronauts, and is capable of operating in outer space for one to seven days. Sending a man into orbit is only the first step of China's manned space program. The next step is to develop the spacecraft docking technology and launch a space laboratory around 2007. The third step is to build a space station.
Source: China Daily 11/04/2003

Chinese Scientists Working on 'Chang'e I' Moon Project
Chinese scientists are working on Chang'e I, China's moon probing project. China's first moon probing activity is planned for launching in three years. There are three stages for China's moon probing project: orbiting, landing, and returning. At the first stage, Orbiting, China's first moon exploration satellite will be developed and launched, which will conduct a global, overall, and comprehensive exploration to capture three-dimensional graphs of the moon. In the second stage, landing, research will launch a docking vehicle for lunar soft landing, soft landing test, inspecting the lunar surface by a lunar cruise, on-spot explorations, and moon-based astronomical observations. At the third stage, returning, in addition to a docking vehicle, a small-sized sampling capsule will be launched which will collect key samples from the moon and return to the earth. "Orbiting" is presently centered on China's moon probing program.
Source: People's Daily 11/09/2003

China Promotes Satellite Navigation for Civil Use Market
The Chinese government is making great efforts to promote the civil use of the satellite guiding and positioning system. The North Star (Plough) Brand Satellite Navigation System has a dual-way short-news transmission, with which the central station can get in touch with all the terminals at once. The system is expected to cover the majority of the regions in China by 2005. The National Satellite Navigation Application System and Integrated Engineering Research Center was established last October.
Source: Xinhuanet 11/11/2003

China Develops World's 1st TD-SCDMA 3G Mobile Phone
China has developed its first 3-G mobile phone set which is believed to also be the first TD-SCDMA phone of its kind in the world. Chinese telecommunications giant Datang has established an experimental network for TD-SCDMA mobile phones in Jiangbei District in Chongqing, Southwest China. The first groups of phones are expected to be available in 2005. The phone was made according to TD-SCDMA, the technological standard formulated by China and approved by the International Telecommunications Union of the United Nations as one of the three standards for 3-G mobile phones. CDMA refers to code division multiple access.
Source: People's Daily 11/03/2003

World Largest Chinese Digital Library Opens in Beijing
The world's largest Chinese digital library, a database containing over 12 million documents or 25 percent of China's public information resources, opened in Beijing. The digital library aims to make it possible for users to share 80 percent of China's intellectual resources through the Internet within three years. The database was jointly developed by the China Academic Journal Electronic Publishing House and Tsinghua Tongfang Optical Disc Co., Ltd.
Source: China Daily 11/09/2003

Digital TV to Dominate in China by 2010
Almost all cable TV broadcasting in China will be in digital mode by 2010, while existing analog broadcasts will be terminated by 2015. China initiated a large-scale promotion of digital cable TV this year. So far, 25 cities have been operating digital cable TV broadcasting on a trial basis, 19 of which have started digital pay-TV channels. It is predicted that most regions in China will complete the transition from analog TV broadcasting to digital TV broadcasting by 2008.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 11/11/2003

China & France Bid for SARS Vaccine
Research teams from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, and France are working together to try and validate a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) vaccine. The vaccine was developed by the Hong Kong University Pasteur Research Centre. The centre is now working with mainland researchers and the Institut Pasteur of France to validate the vaccine's development. The goal of the teams is to test the SARS vaccine on animals by the end of the year with the aim of a fully developed product in two years.
Source: Xinhuanet 11/12/2003

Reagent for Testing SARS Virus in Test Production
A reagent for testing the SARS virus developed by a Chinese gene company has gone into test production. The reagent was developed by the Daan Gene Co., Ltd. attached to Zhongshan University, based in Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong Province. As a center for medical bio-engineering technological research under the Ministry of Health, the Daan Gene Co., Ltd. was entrusted with the task of developing technology for the rapid testing of the SARS virus on April 12 this year, when many Chinese provinces and cities were hit by the SARS disease.
Source: People's Daily11/14/2003

Sino-German Laboratory Opens to Promote Study of Soils
A Sino-German laboratory opened in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, to promote cooperative studies of soils. The laboratory is funded by the Sino-German Center for Science Promotion. The laboratory is located in Nanjing Institute of Pedology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and aims at building a platform to enhance exchanges between experts on soils and environment in the two countries.
Source: Xinhuanet 11/09/2003

Mainland & Taiwan to Continue Cooperation in Space Seed Breeding
Experts from the mainland and Taiwan will continue their cooperation in space seed breeding by conducting follow-up experiments on seeds carried into space aboard the Shenzhou-5 manned spacecraft. 100 grams of crop seeds were aboard the spacecraft, which circled the Earth 14 times on a 21-hour mission on October 15 and 16. There were 33 varieties of seeds, including flowers and vegetables. The project represented the first cooperation of agricultural research institutions from both sides of the Taiwan Straits in space breeding.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 10/30/2003

10th China Yangling Expo on Agricultural High-Tech Products Opens
The 10th China Yangling Expo on Agricultural High-Tech Products opened in Yangling national agricultural high-tech zone of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on November 6th. The theme of the Expo was "Technology, Innovation and Industrialization". Agricultural businessmen from 18 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan attended the expo, with more than 7,000 agricultural high-tech products on display.
Source: Xinhuanet 11/06/2003

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