China Science & Technology Digest:
November 1-15, 2004
ATIP
This digest summarizes S&T-related articles that appeared in the media ATIP monitored in the first half of November 2004. 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.
Chinese Rover Expected to Land on Moon in 2012 (key: space/satellite)
China will launch a lunar vehicle on the surface of the moon in 2012. The "lunar rover" brought by the vehicle will start its journey for exploration. From the present to 2020 or later, China's lunar exploration program will focus on unmanning probing. The program is divided into three stages. From now to 2007, the focus will be on orbiting the moon; from 2005 to 2012, an unmanned vehicle will land on the moon in the second stage for the exploration of moon surface; from 2010 to 2017, a vehicle will land on the moon and collect samples of lunar soil in the final stage.
Source: People's Daily November 8, 2004
China Launches 3rd "ZY-2" Resource Satellite (Key: space/satellite)
China successfully put its earth resource satellite, the third of ZY-2, into orbit with a Chinese Long-March 4-B rocket that blasted off on November 6 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province. The ZY-2, China's second transmitting-type remote sensing satellite, is mainly used for land resource surveying, environmental supervision and protection, city planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring, and space scientific experiments. China launched the first and second ZY-2 satellites on Sept. 1, 2000 and Oct. 27 ,2002. They are still in orbit and have sent back significant amounts of data.
Source: Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2004
China & UK Firm Launch Satellite Mission (Key: space/satellite)
Chinese scientists and their counterparts in the Surrey Company of Britain are jointly developing a satellite for meteorological studies. The satellite, with a higher resolution than ordinary meteorological satellites, is expected to be launched next May.
Source: China Daily November 9, 2004
Largest Near-Earth Objects Telescope Installed (Key: space/satellite)
China's largest domestically developed near-earth objects telescope has been installed and will soon be put into operation. In the next 20 years, it could help to find 500 to 1,000 minor celestial bodies. The world's fifth largest near-earth objects telescope, equipped with a state-of –the-art monitoring system, is able to automatically search and calculate the position of near-earth comets and minor planets to determine their exact orbit.
Source: Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2004
China Develops 1st Mini-Satellite (Key: space/satellite)
The mini-satellite Innovation 1, also known as Chuang Xin 1 has been operating in space for nearly 13 months since it was launched into orbit October 2003. The successful launching of the 100-kilogram Chuang Xin 1 has put China's pursuit for low orbit telecommunications forward, and aided the development and application of mini satellite technology.
Source: People's Daily November 11, 2004
Langchao Group Signs MOU with Microsoft (key: IT, software, others?)
Langchao Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft to establish a strategic partnership and strengthen cooperation between the two companies. The two sides will jointly develop software application systems for Chinese users and original equipment manufacturers or OEMs in China. A formal agreement will be signed within six months. Langchao Group is the largest provider of software applications in China.
Source: Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2004
Lenovo & IBM to Set up Joint Venture (key: IT, others?)
China's largest IT company Lenovo and computer giant IBM are planning to establish a joint venture in the personal computer business. Five million computers will be involved in the new company, a significantly larger number than Dell or Hewlett-Packard release in China. But cooperation will be confined to desktop PCs and will not include laptops.
Source: Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2004
Chinese 3G Fails Trials (Key: wireless; Others?)
Recent performance trials have proved disappointing for the Chinese mainland's homegrown third-generation (3G) mobile technology, TD-SCDMA. The results from the state-run trials were released for the first time on Nov. 8 in Beijing. Key problems included lack of workable handsets, dubious stability, and poor reliability of TD-SCDMA's core network. Texting and picture messaging worked only erratically and the videophone function failed. There were also difficulties in receiving calls from 2G phones.
Source: Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2004
Liaoning's First Nuclear Plant (key: energy, power)
As one of the state's key energy construction projects, the first nuclear power plant in northeast China's Liaoning Province is being built jointly by China Power Investment Corporation, Liaoning provincial government, and Dalian municipal government with a total investment of 60 billion yuan (approx. US$7.2 billion). About 228 hectares of land and 1,005 hectares of sea have been requisitioned for the project. A total of 26 billion yuan (US$3.1 billion) has been committed to the first stage of the project, which will equip the plant with two 1 million-kW generators. The entire project is due to be completed in six years. When finished, it will have six 1 million-kW generators and will produce 52.56 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Source: China Daily November 14, 2004
ATIP offers a full range of information services including reports, assessments, briefings, visits, sample procurements, workshops, cultural/business sensitivity training, and liaison activities, all performed by our on-the- ground multilingual experts.
Tokyo Office:
Asian Technology Information Program
Harks Roppongi Building 1F 6-15-21 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Tokyo 106, JAPAN
Tel: +81 3 5411-6670
Fax: +81 3 5411-6671
U.S. Office:
Asian Technology Information Program
P.O. Box 9678 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87119
Tel: (505) 842-9020
Fax: (505) 766-5166
For further information:
Email: info@atip.or.jp
Website: http://www.atip.or.jp OR http://www.atip.org
|
