China Successfully launched SJ-10 retrievable space science probe

On 6 April 2016 China successfully launched bullet-shaped retrievable scientific research satellite SJ-10 (Shijian-10). The satellite was launched aboard Long March 2-D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China’s Gobi desert.

The satellite was launched with an aim to help scientists in their study of microgravity and space life science.

It is the 2nd of 4 scientific satellites under a CAS space program. Unlike the other 3, SJ-10 is returnable. SJ-10 is the 25th such retrievable satellite launched by the China in the past decades.

The bullet-shaped probe will house 19 experiments in the space involving microgravity fluid physics, microgravity combustion, space material, space radiation effect, microgravity biological effect and space bio-technology, before coming back to Earth with results.
On-board experiments include:

• Study of early-stage development of mouse embryos in microgravity and this will help in shedding light on human reproduction in space, and another studying space radiation effects on genetic stability of fruit flies & rat cells.

• The Soret Coefficient in Crude Oil experiment will investigate coal combustion and pollutant formation under microgravity. The experiment will be carried out in partnership with the National Space Science Center under CAS and the European Space Agency (ESA). This experiment will be carried out to improve scientists understanding of oil reservoirs buried kilometers underground and the latter will help in enhancing energy efficiency and cut emissions.

Overall, eight of the experiments on fluid physics and microgravity combustion will be carried out in the orbital module.

The other experiments will be conducted under the re-entry capsule which is expected to land at Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia, the designated landing spot for China’s Shenzhou manned space missions and a 2014 test lunar orbiter.

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China Successfully launched SJ-10 retrievable space science probe

China succesfully aunches 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite

China has successfully launched the 22nd new generation satellite into space as part of its domestic BeiDou Navigation System (BDS). It was launched using Long March-3A carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center located in the south-western province of Sichuan. It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket.
About the BeiDou Navigation System (BNS):

BNS is second generation of the Chinese navigational system seen as rival to the US’s Global Positioning System (GPS). BeiDou is Mandarin means magnetic Compass which was one of the Chinese major invention in the history which had revolutionized the sea voyages. The system comprises total 35 satellites in 2 separate satellite constellations:

(i) Limited test system (operational since 2000)

(ii) A full-scale global navigation system which is currently under construction. The BNS became operational in China in December 2011, with the constellation of 10 satellites. In December 2012, the system began offering services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region and on its completion in 2020 it will provide services to globle customers. After completion, the project would become an equivalent of the United State Global Positioning System, Russia’s Glonass, & Europe’s Galileo.
Applications:

(i) Civilian services: navigation, messaging, transportation and weather forecasting sectors. (ii) Military applications: ensure privacy for its military communications and missile launches by reducing the dependence on US operated GPS.

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China succesfully aunches 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite

UN report: India and China led investments in Renewable Energy in 2015

India, China have led the developing countries in investments made in renewable energy in 2015. It was revealed by ‘Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment’ Report published by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP).
Key facts:

• For the 1st time commitments of emerging economies in solar, wind and other renewables’ capacity have surpassed those by the wealthy nations.


• Developing world committed a total of 156 billion dollars in new renewables capacity in 2015 year, these figures up 19 % on 2014.


• With in the developing economy category, the “Big Three” of India, China & Brazil saw investment rise 16 percent to USD 120.2 billion.


• In contrast, renewable energy investments by the developed countries were down by 8 percent in 2015 to 130 billion dollars.


• A large part of the record breaking investment in developing countries took place in China, with its investment commitment up by 17 percent to 102.9 billion dollars.


• India was also among the top Ten investing countries in renewable energy with its commitments rising 22 percent to USD 10.2 billion.


• It for the 2nd time since 2011, India enjoyed a 2nd successive year of increasing investment, breaching the USD Ten billion United States, Japan,


• United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico & Chile also made it to the top 10 investing countries in 2015.

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UN report: India and China led investments in Renewable Energy in 2015

1st long distance Silk Road train arrives in Tehran from China

The 1st long distance cargo train connecting Iran and China has arrived in the Iranian capital city Tehran after starting its journey from China. The train had started its journey from China’s eastern Zhejiang province and it took Fourteen days to reach their final destination. It had covered around 9,500 KM distance and passed through 2 Central Asian countries Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan. Henceforth such trains will run between both countries once in month and the frequency will be increased if necessary. These trains will be run by the private companies using existing routes.

Significance:

It marks the revival the ancient Silk Road and gives impetus to China’s ambitious One Belt One Road initiative part of revived Silk Road diplomacy. This train’s journey was 30 days shorter compared to time taken by sea voyage from Shanghai to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. It also will boost to bilateral trade between both countries after they had agreed to build economic ties worth up to $600 billion within the next Ten years. Currently, China is Iran’s biggest trading partner and accounts for its one 3rd of foreign trade. China is also top customer for oil exports from Iran.

Comment:

Iran is strategically located in the Middle East and shares land borders with 8 nations and sea channels on its northern and south western coasts. China seeks to leverage Iran’s strategic location by making it part of its New Silk Road initiative in order to get access to extensive delivery routes connecting to the Eurasia and Middle East.
Background:

The Silk Road was an ancient network of commercial land and sea routes that was named for the lucrative Chinese silk trade. This trade route was central to business across the Asian continent connecting China with the Mediterranean Sea. The revived Silk Road is envisioned as a rail and sea route as part of China’s ambitious OBOR economic development strategy.

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1st long distance Silk Road train arrives in Tehran from China

China successfully launched Gaofen 4 dual use geostationary satellite

On 29 December 2015 China successfully launched Gaofe-4 Earth observation satellite toward a geostationary orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the south western province of Sichuan. The Satellite was launched aboard a Long March 3B carrier rocket.

Launched as a part of the China High resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), Gaofen-4 is located at the orbit 36000 kilometres away from the earth and moves synchronously with the earth.
Highlights of the Gaofen-4

• It can see an oil tanker on the sea with a huge CMOS camera, reaching the best imaging level among global high-orbit remote sensing satellites.

• It will be used for disaster prevention and relief, surveillance of geological disasters & forest disasters, and meteorologic forecast.

• It will offer optical spatial resolution of better than 50 metres and infrared sensing capabilities from geostationary orbit.

• It is designed to operate for 8 years at an altitude of almost 36000 km above the Earth.

The satellite was launched as a part of Gaofen project that aims to launch 7 high-definition observation satellites before 2020. Gaofen-1, the 1st satellite of the project, was launched in April 2013.

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China successfully launched Gaofen 4 dual use geostationary satellite

China building world’s largest animal cloning factory to recreate sniffer dogs

China is building the world’s biggest animal cloning factory to recreate sniffer dogs, racehorses & beef cattle. In this regard, Chinese scientists have signed deal to create a commercial animal cloning centre in Tianjin, north eastern China.
Key facts:

• The factory would be built in the Tianjin Economic & Technological Development Area which is a business development park sponsored by the government.


• It is the joint project of Chinese bio-technology firm Boyalife & South-Korea’s Sooam Biotech. Peking University or Tianjin International Joint Academy of Bio-medicine are also part of it.


• The cloning factory will include cloning laboratories, a gene bank and a science education centre and will be constructed at the cost of 31 million US-dollars.


• It would produce cloned animals such as pet & police dogs, racehorses and cow to be sold on the open market on an industrial scale.


• The factory would produce 100,000 cattle embryos annually and later expand the annual output to 1 million.


• It would help to produce enough beef to meet increasing demand. It should be noted that China’s 1st commercial animal cloning center was established in 2014 in the eastern Shandong Province. Since 2000, Chinese Researchers have cloned sheep, cattle & pigs but not for non scientific research.


• In 2009, South- Korea’s customs service had deployed the world’s 1st cloned dogs.

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China building world’s largest animal cloning factory to recreate sniffer dogs

China ended its decades old One Child Policy

Three decades-long one-child policy of china is now abandoned and changed to two-child policy.Communist Party of China (CPC) in this account has issued an official anouncement at the end of party’s 4 day absolute session headed by President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

This change is intended to Balance population development of world’s second largest economy.

Address the challenge of unnatural negative demographics due rising numbers of old age population as well as concerns over declining labour force.

This announcement comes at the time of slowdown of China’s economy which has jumped below the 7 per cent for the first time since the 2009 global

 

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China ended its decades old One Child Policy

To ease fuel crisis Nepal inks MoU with China

In order to ease fuel crisis in the Nepal ,they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China in order to import all kinds of Petroleum products.

It was signed by Nepal Oil Corp (NOC) and China National United Oil Corporation (PetroChina) in Beijing,china to grant all kind of the petroleum products for Nepal needs.

Now China will commercially supplying petroleum to Nepal and already had agreed to contribute 1.3 million litres of petrol to Nepal.

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To ease fuel crisis Nepal inks MoU with China

India to exceed China’s population in 2022:UN Report

India is going to become the most populous nation in the world by exceeding China in 2022. It was declared in recently released United Nation’s report titled ‘World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision’ indicating India’s population growth within next 7 years.
Key highlights from report:

• India will become most crowded nation, 6 years earlier than it was previously forecasted and will retain the top spot till year 2100.


• At present, China which is world’s populous country with approximately 1.38 billion population while, India has 1.31 billion.


• India’s population around and after 2022, is projected to grow for several decades. It will be around to 1.5 billion in 2030 & 1.7 billion in 2050.


• Life expectancy:
  
  In case of India life expectancy at birth will also improve over the next decades. It will grow from 71.7 years in 2025-30 to 75.9 years in 2045-2050.It will be around 84.6 years in 2095-2100.


• China’s population:
  
  It is expected to remain fairly constant till 2030s, after which it is expected to decrease slightly.
  
  World Population forecast: Half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in 9 countries during 2015-2050. They are India, Pakistan, US, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Congo, Indonesia and Uganda.


• It should be noted that, as per earlier population forecast issued in 2013, India was expected to surpass China’s population by 2028.

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India to exceed China’s population in 2022:UN Report

2015 Denmark Open Title of Badminton goes to China’s Xuerui Li

Women’s single Title at Denmark Open goes to China’s Xuerui Li  . In the final clash at Odense, Denmark, she defeated Indian Badminton player P V Sindhu  by 19-21, 12-21 score. It was her second title of Denmark Open and she had won the same title in 2014. China’s Chen Long has won the 2015 Men’s Signle title at Denmark Open . He has won the same title for record 3rd time after he had earlier won it in 2013 and 2014 .

About Denmark Open Title

The Denamark open tournament was started in late 1935 and is considered as one of the oldest Badminton tournament .In starting it was  known as Danish Open and is organized by Danmarks Badminton Forbund.

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2015 Denmark Open Title of Badminton goes to China’s Xuerui Li