China in Africa

Within its three-step strategy to build a global navigation system by 2020, the first batch of 18 satellites will be launched before 2018 to cover countries along the routes in the Belt and Road” initiative. After having achieved the first two steps — building a regional functional navigation system by 2012, the accuracy and stability of the Beidou system will be further improved.”

CAS news release, May 23, 2016

The world’s first satellite that can achieve quantum communication between the space and the Earth will be launched in July. As the basic unit of matter to carry energy, the quantum is inseparable and cannot be copied. The no-cloning theory of quantum mechanics is a breakthrough that ensures data encoded in photons is secure on the networks and cannot be captured or copied during transmission. The 2,000-km quantum communication main network between Beijing and Shanghai will be fully operational in the second half of this year. Government agencies and banks in cities along the route can use it first.

CAS news release, May 21, 2016

The Shanghai-based laboratory will focus on Ambr® based high-throughput technology and an automated cell culture platform based on BIOSTAT® STR single-use bioreactors

China Bio news release, May 20, 2016

By 2018, China shall build platforms for fundamental AI resources and innovation and make breakthroughs on basic core technology, said the three-year implementation program for Internet Plus” AI. The program will involve key projects such as intelligent home appliances, smart automobiles, intelligent wearable devices and robots.”

CAS news release, May 24, 2016

A group around LI Jinsong and others at the CAS Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences have developed a procedure to obtain haploid parthenogenetic embryos derived from human blastocyst stem cell lines. Haploid human embryonic stem cells have characteristics typical for embryonic stem cells, cells capable of differentiating into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. In addition, these cells maintain genetic material with typical female imprint condition. The study proved that these cells can be used for large-scale genetic screening.

CAS news release, May 16, 2016

According to a survey by CAS on public attitudes towards transgenic technology, only 9.1% claimed knowledge about genetically modified terms, whereas 47.5% considered themselves less”, 24.9% “very little”, 18.4 percent „non” educated. Even among college-educated respondents, only 17,7 % said they understand “very much” or “more” about this technology. Credibility of officials has been weakened: 38.4% and 46.6% of the respondents said they distrust government officials on this matter even more than university scientists and companies.”

China Bio news release, May 18, 2016

The group of JIN Jian at CAS Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics has developed a hydrogel material composed of polyacrylic acid grafted polyvinylidene fluoride (PAA-g-PVDF) which shows water oleophobic angle of > 165 ° and almost zero oil adhesion. With this material, a high viscosity crude oil (21 mPa s-1) was separated from water only by gravity, the separated water flux reached 50000 L m-2 h-1, and oil content in water was as low as 0.5 ppm, while the collected crude oil purity was 98.7 %.

CAS news release, May 18, 2016

The MnO2-loaded graphene sheets are configured as aerogels and exhibit a fast adsorption kinetic rate and superior adsorption capacity toward heavy metal ions, exceeding largely the corresponding pristine 3D graphene and δ-MnO2 nanosheets. The aerogels can be easily separated and do not generate secondary contaminants. Thanks to their high removal efficiency, fast adsorption kinetics, excellent regeneration and reusability and ease of separation operation, they are considered as ideal candidates for heavy metal ion decontamination in practical application.

CAS news release, May 16, 2016

Jilin-1 was developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd – belonging to the CAS Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP). The 420kg Jilin-1A optical satellite which is in a 656 km orbit is providing images of a maximum full colour resolution of 0.72 metres and 2.88m multispectral resolution.

CAS news release, May 13, 2016

In collaboration with Jiangsu Sopo Co. and China Wuhuan Engineering, the technology is based on molecular sieve membrane dehydration technology and leads to 99,6 % pure ethanol. China’s acetic acid production capacity is more than ten million tons per year, but a weak value chain for downstream products such as acetate, vinyl acetate, terephthalic acid, acetic anhydride led to the concept for hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol.

CAS news release, May 12, 2016

The project which is jointly managed by CAS QIBEBT, Qingdao Huatong Co. and Qingdao Energy Co. will eventually handle 110,000 tons of biomass/year (straw and vegetable dishes), producing about 660 million cubic meters of natural gas, 2.5 million tons of solid organic fertilizer and 22,000 tons of sludge fertilizer.

China Bio news release, May 10, 2016

The first Chinese middle-to-low speed magnetically levitated (maglev) rail line began operating in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province. The maglev shuttles between Changsha’s south railway station and the airport, with one stop in between. It takes 19 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the 18.55-km journey. The train can carry 363 people at a maximum speed of 100 km per hour. The price of a one-way ticket is 20 yuan (about 3 U.S.dollars). Middle-to-low speed trains produce very little noise and occupy much less land than subways. The line costs between 150 million yuan and 250 million yuan per kilometer, making it highly economical compared to subways and light rail, which cost up to 800 million yuan and 300 million yuan per km respectively.

CAS news release, May 5, 2016

The sponge-like hydrophobic material absorbs oil spills effectively and can be spun at a scale of several thousand m2 . As shown in pilot studies on the Suzhou river, blankets produced from this material which have a low dragline resistance can be pulled by two unmanned ships operated by the Baidou satellite system through oil spills, and the oil can be removed from the blankets by extraction steps in a closed system.

CAS news release, May 5, 2016

In 2015, the province managed the acquisition of 1,5 million t of straw from local farmers by 20 power plants which produced about 1/3d of the province’s overall energy. Several financial benefits were applied such as state subsidies on collected straw, exemption of straw transport vehicles from tax and technical support for the power plants.

China Bio news release, May 4, 2016

The CAS Institute of Technical Biology and Agriculture Engineering, Anhui, have prepared a A polyethylenimine functionalized porous/hollow nanoworm as a drug delivery system and a bioimaging agent. The device displayed excellent cisplatin loading capacity and good interaction in vivo with MRI contrast agents.

CAS news release, May 5, 2016