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Revisiting moon no longer a lunatic idea for Chinese


2019-07-22 浏览

In Beijing's Beihang University, imaginations of China's future lunar explorations are stored in three metal tanks.

In the interconnected cabins, squirming larva known as yellow mealworms are precious, if not palatable, meat dishes, and vegetables come from two lush gardens that feed on the byproducts of human metabolism, including carbon dioxide and excrement.

The 160-square-meter facility, which draws its name Yuegong-1, or Lunar Palace 1, from the Chinese legend of moon goddess Chang'e, is testing the possibility of having a manned base on the moon.

Every animal and plant species entering the cabins is handpicked by scientists: Strawberries are selected as the sole fruit plant as most parts of the berry are edible; mealworms are raised as source of animal protein as "it's hard to build emotional links with" -- having to eat a pet does no good to the astronaut's mental health.

As supplying materials in outer space is extremely expensive, the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) creates a closed environment where most substances necessary for human life like water, oxygen and food can be regenerated through biochemical process of the waste.

"The nearest application of our technology will be in a lunar base. So far, the system has achieved 98 percent self sufficiency, which is good enough for a base on the moon, or even on Mars," said Liu Hong, chief designer of the BLSS of Yuegong-1.

Last year, two groups of eight volunteers completed a 370-day test living in the lab, setting a new world record for the longest stay in such a self-contained cabin.

"Our next goal is to adjust this system so it can work in a lunar environment, which has no magnetic field, one-sixth of Earth's gravity and a higher radiation level. We hope to create a miniature system and run it on a space station," Liu said.

Fifty years after homo sapiens left their footprints on the moon, this lab in the Chinese capital suggests that the dream of revisiting the moon is pulsating with life in China, whose lunar aspiration goes well beyond repeating the 1969 astronautic feat by American astronauts.

Flying to the moon used to be a distant dream for China, a newcomer in the space club. Its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, lifted off in 1970. Its first moon orbiter Chang'e-1 was launched in 2007, nearly half a century after the former Soviet Union and the United States sent theirs to fly by the moon.

But the past decades have seen China speedily catching up in outer space exploration. Earlier this year, Chang'e-4 became the world's first probe to soft-land on the far side of the moon.

In April, the China National Space Administration said it aimed to build a scientific research station in the south polar region of the moon and realize a manned lunar exploration mission in about 10 years.

These steady streams of progress help boost enthusiasm about outer space in Chinese society. While conspiracy theories about the Apollo-11 moon landing being fabricated continued to thrive in the West, giant statues of astronauts popped up in Beijing's commercial districts like Wangfujing and Xidan days before the 50th anniversary of the historic lunar mission.

"I hope one day, we Chinese can also land on the moon. It's not only a thing for the nation to be proud of, it can also promote scientific knowledge among the public," said Jun Mo, whose team designed a spaceman portrait outside a photography studio in Xidan.

On China's popular microblogging site Weibo, the personified account of Yutu, China's first moon rover, has over 733,200 followers. Its farewell message, posted after it ceased functioning in 2016, received more than 85,000 emotional comments from Chinese netizens.

"Its popularity demonstrates the tremendous public interest in lunar programs. It is an encouraging sign that the Chinese public care so much about space explorations, which have little to do with their everyday lives," said Ji Shaoting, who designed the Yutu account.

Chen Qiufan, Chinese sci-fi writer and author of "The Waste Tide," said China is embracing outer space as a result of the country's growing national strength and the citizens' heightened scientific literacy.

"On board the lunar and space projects are China's technological prowess and aspiration, as well as man's primal curiosity about the unknown," he said.

Inspiring power

Dai Jianfeng, a photographer who has traveled across the globe to capture the beauty of starry nights, drew his latest inspiration from China's lunar missions.

"Witnessing our progress in space makes me wonder if one day, I can travel to the moon to take photos of the stars," he said.

The moon has been a source of inspiration in many ancient cultures. In China, the first lunar journey by human appeared in the story of Chang'e, who flew to the moon after swallowing an immortality pill.

In more recent times, the celestial body has featured in a number of science fiction works, from Jules Verne's 19th-century novel "From the Earth to the Moon" to the Golden Age masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey," having inspired generations of readers on humanity's relationship with the universe.

Chinese sci-fi writers agree that sending humans to the moon holds immense potential to inspire both China and the world.

"Mankind has landed on the moon. Earth has since been like a confined basement, with the moon opening a window to the infinite universe," Liu Cixin, author of "The Three-Body Problem," said in a short video that pays tribute to the 1969 lunar landing.

"Landing on the moon allowed humans to look back from space at Earth and ponder their place in the universe. It helped deepen the understanding of Earth being a community of shared future for humanity," said sci-fi author Chen.

Hao Jingfang, who in 2016 won the Hugo Award with "Folding Beijing," agreed that landing on Earth's only natural satellite is a meaningful "small step" in the long march into the universe, as it put an end to the debate over whether man is capable of setting foot on an extraterrestrial body.

Hao, who studied physics and astrophysics in college before turning to economics, in an article lamented the slow progress in space missions in recent decades due to bottlenecks in basic science and a lack of economic motivations. Despite the disappointing pace, it is important to keep the children curious about the universe, she suggested.

"I wish to tell kids about the universe. Once the whole universe settles down in their heart, it will be hard for triviality to take over," said Hao.

Many small steps

One piece of good news for space enthusiasts is that the world is embracing a new round of space fever. The United States has planned to return humans to the moon by 2024, while India is working to land its probe on the lunar south pole, though a "technical snag" postponed the launch earlier last week.

Some scientists also refuted the claim that too few breakthroughs in space technology were made after the Space Race ended. The manned lunar landing was not repeated, they argue, because of the employment of smarter robots that are more efficient and less expensive.

Yao Zhikai, a postgraduate student and observer of the world's astronautic developments at Beihang University, said as humans prepare for the next giant leap toward Mars, at least 55 million km from Earth, many small steps are being made in key space technologies like life support and rocket stability.

"Apollo 11's lunar voyage encountered many problems and was by no means smooth sailing. But future lunar explorations will be smoother and safer thanks to technological advances," Yao said.

"In China, the industrial sector has developed rapidly in recent decades to offer stronger support to the country's space missions," he said.

And while it may take time for the next astronautic breakthrough to materialize, Liu Hong suggests space technologies can also benefit lives on Earth even before they are applied in outer space.

The Yuegong-1 lab has improved a farming technique to raise mealworms with bioprocessed straw, which is cheaper than the conventional fodder of potato and wheat bran. Liu Hong 's team is imparting this knowledge to farmers in north China.

"Agriculture on Earth produces a large volume of waste straw, and its burning is a major source of pollution. Our test proves it is actually a valuable resource," she said.
来源: Shanghai Daily  

US urged to stop using religious issues to interfere in China's internal affairs


2019-07-19 浏览

China on Thursday slashed US President Donald Trump's meeting with so-called "Chinese victims of religious persecution," urging the US side to stop using religious issues to interfere in its internal affairs.

"It is sheer interference in China's domestic affairs for the US side to invite Falun Gong cultists and those who slander China's religious policies to attend a so-called religious conference and arrange for the meeting with the US leader," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said at a press briefing when asked to comment on the meeting at the White House Wednesday.



来源: Shanghai Daily  

Suspected arsonist planned Japan's worst mass killing in 18 years: media


2019-07-19 浏览

A man suspected of torching an animation studio in western Japan shouted that he had been plagiarised and appeared to have planned the attack, media said on Friday after a blaze that killed 33 people in Japan's worst mass killing in two decades.

The 41-year-old man "seemed to be discontented, he seemed to get angry, shouting something about how he had been plagiarised", a woman who saw the suspect being detained told reporters.

The unidentified man shouted "Die!" before dousing the entrance to Kyoto Animation headquarters with what appeared to be petrol and setting it ablaze around 10:30am (0130 GMT) on Thursday, media reported.

The explosive blaze killed 33 people and another 10 people were in critical condition, authorities said late on Thursday, in Japan's worst mass killing since a suspected arson attack in Tokyo killed 44 people in 2001.


"I imagine many of the people who died were in their twenties," said 71-year-old Kozo Tsujii, fighting back tears after laying flowers near the studio in the rain on Friday morning. He said he drives by the studio on his daily commute.


Police searched through the smouldering shell of the building for clues on Friday.

A man resembling the suspect went to a petrol station on Thursday with two 20-litre cans, Japanese media said. Two cans, a rucksack and a trolley were found near the site, and television footage showed what appeared to be five long knives laid out by police as possible evidence on the ground outside the three-storey building.

The suspect had no connection with Kyoto Animation and his driver's licence listed an address in Saitama, a northern suburb of Tokyo, public broadcaster NHK said. Little else was known about the man, who is under police supervision with serious burns to the face and legs, media reports said.


Kyoto Animation, located in a quiet suburb about 20 minutes by train from the center of Japan's ancient capital, produces popular "anime" series such as the "Sound! Euphonium."


The studio sits between two train lines close to a stream amid houses and small apartment blocks, a few stores and a taxi company parking lot. The area was cordoned off on Friday morning. A few of the original 30 or so fire trucks remained in the streets but with their lights off. Some firefighters appeared to still be dousing the smouldering building.

Jun Shin, a 30-year-old Chinese man living in nearby Osaka, came to the site on Thursday night to lay flowers near the burnt-out office and say a prayer.

"I am an anime fan," Jun, an information-technology worker, told Reuters. "I have watched animation since I was a student, and this was a terrible event, I just want to come and mourn. It left me speechless."
来源: Shanghai Daily  

Brendt Christensen, kidnapper and killer of Chinese scholar, sentenced to life imprisonment


2019-07-19 浏览

Brendt Christensen, the kidnapper and killer of Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying in 2017, was sentenced on Thursday to life imprisonment without possibility of release, Judge James Shadid announced the verdict in a federal court of Peoria in the US state of Illinois, after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison.

Zhang's parents didn't go to the courtroom to hear the verdict, and her mother cried uncontrollably in a press conference after the sentencing. Christensen looked relaxed upon hearing the verdict, and his parents were apparently satisfied with their son being spared life.

The 12-member jury last month unanimously ruled that Christensen was guilty of all three counts of charge against him, namely, kidnapping resulting in the death of Zhang in 2017, and two counts of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The 26-year-old Chinese scholar went missing on June 9, 2017, after getting into a black Saturn Astra about five blocks away from where she got off a bus on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease.

来源: Shanghai Daily  

'US clinging to a Cold War mentality' to contain China


2019-07-18 浏览

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said yesterday that US should stop suppressing Chinese firms.

Members of the US Senate and House of Representatives introduced bills on Tuesday to keep tight restrictions on Huawei Technologies, amid concern about President Donald Trump’s easing of curbs on the Chinese firm.

The legislation would, among other things, bar the removal of the massive telecommunications equipment firm from a Commerce Department trade blacklist without House and Senate approval, and let Congress disallow waivers granted to US companies doing business with the company.

The United States has accused Huawei of stealing American intellectual property.

The Republicans and Democrats backing the measures said they viewed the company as a security threat.

Geng told a news briefing in Beijing yesterday that the United States should immediately cease its “suppression” of Huawei.

Geng said that relevant US legislators were “clinging to a Cold War mentality” in trying to contain China’s development, and that such actions “seriously damaged the United States’ national image.”

The United States placed Huawei on the Commerce Department’s so-called “Entity List” in May over national security concerns.

US parts and components generally cannot be sold to those on the list without special licenses.

However, Trump, who is seeking to revive trade talks with China, announced late last month that US companies would be allowed to sell products to Huawei.

The “Defending America’s 5G Future Act” was introduced in the Senate by Republicans Cotton, Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney and Democrats Chris Van Hollen, Mark Warner and Richard Blumenthal.

A companion bill was introduced in the House by Democratic representatives Jimmy Panetta and Ruben Gallego and Republicans Mark Gallagher and Liz Cheney.

Washington has also launched a lobbying effort to persuade US allies to keep Huawei out of next-generation 5G telecommunications infrastructure, citing security concerns.

Huawei has denied all the allegations.
来源: Shanghai Daily  

US jury begins deliberations on possible death penalty for Brendt Christensen


2019-07-18 浏览

After prosecutors and the defense finished their separate closing arguments, a US judge on Wednesday afternoon began deliberations on possible death penalty for Brendt Christensen, who was found guilty of killing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying in 2017.

The closing arguments of the sentencing phase for Christensen took place around 9am (1400 GMT) Wednesday at a federal court of Peoria, in the US state of Illinois.

The courtroom was full of people, with over 10 people watching the closing arguments from an overflow room.

Zhang Yingying's father, mother, brother and boyfriend showed up in the main courtroom in the morning, but after some deliberation in chambers, the mother didn't return.

Christensen's mother and father were also in attendance. He frequently looked at them and smiled. He was wearing a white dress shirt and dark gray pants.

Prosecutor James Nelson argued in the statement that "justice must be done" and asked "Is this a minimum sentence case?"

He acknowledged the grief of Christensen's family if he would be sentenced to death, but said the "source of that pain sits in that chair," referring to Christensen.

Nelson described the impact on Ms. Zhang's family, as they had placed great hopes on her.

"That's why Yingying fought so hard. She had so much to live for," he said.

Even if the jury chooses a sentence of life behind bars, he will be leaving prison "in a coffin," defense attorney Elisabeth Pollock told the jury in her closing statement.

The defense attorneys have "stood with Brendt for almost two years," Pollock said tearfully, leaving the lectern to stand behind Christensen.

"Remember he is a whole person," Pollock said. "He is not the worst thing he ever did."

Christensen was a gentle child, a good brother and friend and a "rule follower" for most of his life, Pollock said.

The defense team highlighted mental illness and substance abuse on both sides of Christensen's family, including his mother's depression and severe alcoholism when he was a child.

After the closing arguments, jurors in the capital trial of Christensen began deliberating over his appropriate sentence: life in prison or death. It may take several hours or even one to two weeks for the jury to make the final decision.

The jury last month unanimously ruled that Christensen was guilty of all three counts of charge against him, namely, kidnapping resulting in the death of Zhang Yingying in 2017; and two counts of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


来源: Shanghai Daily  

China to further facilitate immigration, entry-exit for foreigners


2019-07-18 浏览

China on Wednesday announced 12 measures to make immigration and entry-exit applications easier and more convenient for certain foreigners.

Ministry of Public Security said the facilitation measures were part of the first batch of 60 special policies for promoting economic and social development and benefiting the public and enterprises.

From August 1, the country will ease the permanent residence application for more high-level foreign talents, including foreigners with doctoral degrees, and those who have made significant contributions to the country, according to an MPS press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Foreign spouses and children of qualified foreigners can also join the application simultaneously, according to the MPS.

To improve the country's business environment, long-term visas and residence permits will be issued to foreigners doing business, working or studying in China. Those who are invited by universities, scientific research institutes and renowned enterprises for technology cooperations will be able to get visas or residence permits valid for two to five years.

In recent years, China has issued 133,000 visas and residence permits to foreign entrepreneurs, investors, and technical and management specialists, said Chen Bin, an official from the National Immigration Administration, at the press conference.

Foreign graduates from China's key colleges and universities or renowned foreign universities, who started businesses in China or were invited to do internships in China, will enjoy policy support and convenience in applying for visas and residence permits.

China is considering setting up immigration affairs service centers or stations in areas with a large population of foreigners to make their work, study and living more convenient.

Jia Tongbin, deputy director of the foreigner management division under the NIA, said the policy package is aimed at inviting management and technology specialists from overseas, who are in urgent need in China.

The policies are expected to encourage foreigners who work in China to make the most of their talent and attract more outstanding foreign youth to China, Jia said.
来源: Shanghai Daily  

Xi stresses people-centered development in Inner Mongolia inspection


2019-07-17 浏览

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed acting on the people-centered philosophy of development and building the country's northern border areas into a more beautiful place.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour to north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Monday to Tuesday.

He inspected the region's work on economic and social development and building an ecological civilization. He also instructed the implementation of the CPC education campaign themed "staying true to our founding mission."

The original aspiration and mission should be kept firmly in mind, he said, calling for more efforts to continuously enhance people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.

Upon his arrival in the city of Chifeng on Monday morning, Xi visited a neighborhood in Songshan district, where people of different ethnic groups reside. Xi called for more efforts to promote ethnic unity and create a favorable environment where people of various ethnic groups can happily live and work.

The president applauded Ulan Muqir, a traveling art troupe performing for herdsmen in remote areas, as "down to earth" and "loved by the people," while asking for more support and promotion of literary and artistic activities that serve the people.

After watching storytellers perform the "Epic of King Gesar" at a local museum, Xi stressed the protection and inheritance of ethnic culture.

He also emphasized the work to help develop an accurate understanding of history, country, ethnicity and culture among the public, so that the people of all ethnic groups can have greater sense of the Chinese national identity and sense of belonging to the motherland, as well as higher recognition of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi is very concerned about environmental protection in the region. On Monday afternoon, he hiked into a forest zone in Chifeng under the blazing sun.

Noting that China has made the world's largest contribution to man-made forest coverage, Xi called for adherence to the path of green development that puts ecology first and efforts to build a beautiful China with green mountains and fresh air.

In the village of Ma'anshan, Xi said that the development of industries should focus on increasing the income of villagers. He asked the primary-level Party organizations in rural areas to be strengthened to better serve the rural people and agriculture.

During his visit to a local villager's home, Xi said huge changes had taken place in the country since the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago, fully proving that it is correct for China to follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi told local officials that by launching the "staying true to our founding mission" campaign it should be clear that the CPC must always seek happiness for the Chinese people and strive for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

"Only by doing so can the Party maintain long-term governance, the country enjoy enduring peace and stability and the people live better lives," he said.

On Tuesday morning, Xi paid a visit to the Inner Mongolia University, his first stop in Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

He urged the students to study hard and contribute their wisdom and strength in the future to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Xi then went to the regional department of natural resources, where he gave instructions on the Party education campaign and asked for a deeper understanding of the Party's original aspiration and mission, an accurate grasp and rectification of problems and assurance that leading cadres play exemplary roles.

On Tuesday afternoon, Xi listened to reports of the regional Party committee and government on their work and their efforts in carrying out the education campaign.

Noting uncertainties and challenges from the external environment as well as the arduous tasks at home, he stressed the importance of maintaining sustained and sound economic growth and social stability.

Xi underlined the important strategic status of Inner Mongolia, calling on the region to promote high-quality economic development and adhere to deepening the reform and opening up.

He said the region needs to promote the high-quality development of husbandry and the coordinated urban-rural development and give priority to environmental protection and green development.

Xi also required efforts to concretely ensure and improve people's wellbeing and to focus the anti-poverty fight on areas of extreme poverty.

He stressed ethnic unity in the region, calling for efforts to see that people of all ethnic groups rally closely around the Party and make joint efforts in safeguarding the country's border and creating better lives.

During the inspection, Xi also met with senior military officers stationed in the region and extended greetings to all the soldiers there.
来源: Shanghai Daily  

Trump 'misleading' on slowdown


2019-07-17 浏览

China yesterday rebuffed a suggestion from US President Donald Trump that Beijing needs a trade deal with the United States because its economy is slowing, saying this was “totally misleading” and that both countries wanted an agreement.

Trump, in a Monday tweet, seized on slowing economic growth in China as evidence that US tariffs were having “a major effect” and warned that Washington could pile on more pressure.

Official data on Monday showed China’s economic growth cooled to 6.2 percent in the second quarter. In the first half, the economy grew 6.3 percent compared with a year earlier.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China’s first-half pace was “not a bad performance” considering global economic uncertainty and slowing world growth, and in line with outside expectations.

China’s stable growth was good for the world and also the US economy, Geng told a daily news briefing.

“As for United States’ so-called ‘because China’s economy is slowing so China urgently hopes to reach an agreement with the US side,’ this is totally misleading,” he added.

Both China and the United States wanted to reach a trade deal, not China alone, Geng said.

Many people in the United States strongly opposed the tariffs and the trade war, he added.

“I again call on the US side to work hard with China, meet each other halfway, and on the basis of mutual respect and treatment, strive to reach a mutually beneficial, win-win agreement. This accords with the interests of both countries and is what the international community expects.”

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last month agreed to another truce in the yearlong trade spat between the world’s two largest economies. That agreement, announced after the leaders met in Osaka, was aimed at kickstarting stalled negotiations, but no deadline has been set for the process to conclude.

The People’s Daily said it was “laughable” to say the Chinese economy was being given trouble by the US tariffs.

“From trade and investment to technology, China is contributing more and more positive energy to global development,” it said in a commentary. “These irrefutable facts are not negated by anyone raising a hubbub.”
来源: Shanghai Daily  

Iran ups ante in nuclear standoff


2019-07-17 浏览

Iran's supreme leader upped the ante in a volatile standoff with the United States yesterday, warning Tehran would continue removing restraints on its nuclear program and retaliate for the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

Tensions have spiked since US President Donald Trump last year abandoned world powers’ 2015 nuclear deal with Iran under which it agreed to curtail its enrichment of uranium in return for the lifting of global sanctions crippling its economy.

European parties to the pact decided on Monday not to trigger the deal’s dispute mechanism in favor of pursuing more talks and avert any US-Iranian military conflict, but took no action to shield Iran against a sanctions clampdown by Trump.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s ultimate authority, accused Britain, Germany and France of failing to uphold obligations under the deal to restore Iranian access to global trade, especially for Tehran’s oil exports blocked by US sanctions.

“According to our foreign minister, Europe made 11 commitments, none of which they abided by. We abided by our commitments and even beyond them. Now that we’ve begun to reduce our commitments, they oppose it. How insolent! You didn’t abide by your commitments!” Khamenei said, according to his website.

“We have started to reduce our commitments and this trend shall continue,” Khamenei said in remarks carried by state television.




Iran has long denied any intent to acquire nuclear weapons, and has said all its breaches could be reversed if Washington returned to the deal and its economic dividends were realized. Tehran has accused Washington of waging “economic war.”


IAEA inspectors last week confirmed Iran is now enriching uranium to 4.5 percent fissile purity, above the 3.67 percent limit set by its deal, the second breach in as many weeks after Tehran exceeded limits on its stock of low-enriched uranium.

The level at which Iran is now refining uranium is still well below the 20 percent purity of enrichment Iran reached before the deal, and the 90 percent needed to yield bomb-grade nuclear fuel. Low-enriched uranium provides fuel for civilian power plants.
来源: Shanghai Daily  

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