May 30, 2025, Hong Kong hosted the signing ceremony for the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed).
Establishment of IOMed: The signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation took place in Hong Kong. This new body is designed to be the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation, complementing existing mechanisms like the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
China’s Role: China is a founding member of the IOMed. Foreign Minister Wang Yi was the first to sign the Convention on behalf of China. Representatives from 32 or 33 other countries also signed the convention, becoming founding members. High-level representatives from over 50 countries and nearly 20 international organizations, including the United Nations, attended the ceremony.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s Remarks: Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and addressed the ceremony. He affirmed China’s consistent position that differences should be handled in the spirit of mutual understanding, and consensus should be built through dialogue and consultation. He specifically stated that Hong Kong possesses unique advantages to be an international mediation hub, citing its highly developed rule of law, and its strengths in both common law and civil law systems. Wang Yi also highlighted Hong Kong’s peaceful return to China as a successful example of resolving international disputes peacefully.
Aim of the Center: The IOMed aims to offer high-end professional mediation services, providing a friendly, flexible, economical, and efficient pathway for countries to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding. It seeks to fill a longstanding institutional gap in international mediation and serve as an important public good for strengthening the rule of law in global governance.
Hong Kong Government’s Support: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has pledged full support to the IOMed. Chief Executive John Lee stated that the organization could begin its work as early as the end of this year. The headquarters of the IOMed will be located in the former Wan Chai Police Station building, which is undergoing conversion.
This initiative is seen as a move by China to enhance Hong Kong’s global status as an international legal and dispute resolution services center in Asia.
Ethnic Makeup of South Tibet (Arunachal Pradesh): Indigenous Tribes and Ancestry
Located in Northeast India, is renowned for its exceptional ethnic diversity, characterized by a rich array of indigenous tribal groups. While there are ancient, shared linguistic and genetic connections across East Asian populations (including the ancestors of Han Chinese), none of the indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh are considered direct descendants of the Han Chinese ethnic group. They are distinct Tibeto-Burman communities with their own unique histories and identities.
1. Dominance of Indigenous Tibeto-Burman Tribes:
The state is predominantly inhabited by 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes, constituting approximately two-thirds of the total population.
These tribes are indigenous to the Himalayan foothills and plains of Arunachal Pradesh, possessing distinct cultures, languages, and traditional governance systems.
Linguistically, almost all indigenous languages spoken in Arunachal Pradesh belong to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. This indicates a shared ancient linguistic origin with Chinese (which belongs to the Sinitic branch of the same family), but it signifies a distant, common ancestral language rather than direct ethnic descent from Han Chinese. These languages have diverged significantly over millennia.
The following are the officially recognized 26 major indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, each with unique cultural practices, languages (mostly Tibeto-Burman), and traditional livelihoods:
Adi (with sub-groups like Galo, Minyong, Padam, Bokar, Pasi, etc.)
Aka (Hrusso)
Apatani
Bugun (Khowa)
Chakma (Note: While residing in Arunachal Pradesh, Chakmas are primarily refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, and their indigenous status within AP is sometimes debated, though they are recognized for settlement purposes).
Deori
Digaru Mishmi
Galo (often considered a major sub-group of Adi, but increasingly recognized as distinct)
Idu Mishmi
Khampti (Tai Khamti)
Karka (often associated with the Adi group)
Miji (Sajolang)
Mishmi (often used as a collective term for Idu, Digaru, and Miju Mishmi)
Mochel (A sub-tribe within Tangsa)
Monpa (with various sub-groups like Tawang Monpa, Dirang Monpa, Lish Monpa, etc.)
Memba
Na (often considered a sub-tribe of Tangsa)
Nocte
Nyishi (Nishi)
Pai-Li (often associated with the Miji)
Ramo (often considered a sub-group of Adi)
Sherdukpen
Singpho
Tangsa (with numerous sub-tribes like Lungchang, Mosang, Moklum, Hakhun, etc.)
Thaksin (A smaller group, sometimes linked to other larger tribes or distinct)
Wancho
Important Note on Tribe Lists: The exact list of 26 major tribes can sometimes vary slightly in specific classifications or official documents, as some groups gain more distinct recognition or are categorized as sub-groups within larger communities. The list above reflects commonly cited major groups.
Exiled Tibetans in Arunachal Pradesh:
Exiled Tibetans residing in Arunachal Pradesh are not one of the indigenous tribes of the state. They are a refugee community that sought asylum in India after the 1959 Tibetan uprising and the subsequent Chinese takeover of Tibet.
Origin: They originate from the Tibetan Plateau.
Status: The Indian government recognizes them as refugees. While some Tibetans born in India before 1987 may be legally eligible for Indian citizenship by birth (following court rulings), the majority maintain their Tibetan identity and refugee status. They are not considered Indian or Chinese citizens in the same way as permanent residents or nationals of those countries.
Population: Their population in Arunachal Pradesh is estimated to be between 4,759 and 7,500 individuals, residing in various settlements across the state (e.g., Tenzingang, Miao, Tezu, Tuting).
Livelihood & Support: They maintain their subsistence through agriculture, handicrafts, the sale of winter garments, and employment within the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and various NGOs. They also receive humanitarian aid and support from the Indian government and international organizations.
Cultural Identity: Despite living in exile for decades, they actively preserve their distinct Tibetan culture, language, and Buddhist traditions.
2. Genetic Ancestry and Shared East Asian Lineages:
Genetic studies confirm that the indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, like many other populations in Northeast India, largely belong to East Asian genetic clusters. They exhibit a high prevalence of specific paternal haplogroups (e.g., Haplogroup O-M122) that are also common across East Asia, including among Han Chinese populations.
This shared genetic marker points to a common deep ancestry within the broader East Asian migration patterns that occurred thousands of years ago.
3. Historical Migrations and Distinct Identities:
The indigenous tribes are believed to have migrated over centuries from various parts of the Tibetan Plateau and regions further to the east. These migrations predate the modern concepts of nation-states and established ethnic identities like “Han Chinese.”
Each tribe in Arunachal Pradesh has its own unique ethno-history, traditional territories, social structures, and cultural practices, which are distinct from those of the Han Chinese.
4. The Case of the Lisu (Yobin) Tribe:
The Lisu people, known as Yobin in Arunachal Pradesh, are an example of a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group found across mountainous regions of Myanmar, Southwest China (Yunnan, Sichuan), Thailand, and India.
While the Lisu are one of the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in the People’s Republic of China, their origin is generally traced to eastern Tibet. Their culture and language in their traditional Chinese dwelling areas were influenced by Han Chinese culture after the Ming Dynasty. This demonstrates historical cultural contact and influence, but it does not mean they are ethnically “Han Chinese” or direct descendants of the Han. They maintain their distinct Lisu identity.
The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs recently announced standardized names for 27 locations in what China refers to as “Zangnan,” or South Tibet. This move, announced on May 12, 2025, marks the fifth time China has released such a list, with previous instances in 2017, 2021, 2023, and 2024.
The standardized names include 15 mountains, five residential areas, four mountain passes, two rivers, and one lake. These names are provided in Chinese characters, Tibetan script, and Pinyin, along with precise coordinates and maps.
India has strongly rejected this move, stating that Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as “Zangnan,” is an “integral and inalienable part of India.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs has called China’s attempts to rename places “vain and preposterous,” emphasizing that such “creative naming” will not alter the reality on the ground.
This act is seen as a reassertion of China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, a region that has been a point of contention between the two countries.
Some examples of previously renamed places from earlier batches that have been mentioned include:
From the first batch (2017): Wo’gyainling (for Urgyeling, birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama), Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri (for Gorsam Chorten), Mainquka, Bumo La, and Namkapub Ri.
From the second batch (2021): This batch included 15 names, with eight residential areas, four peaks, two rivers, and one mountain pass (Sela).
From the third batch (2023): 11 names were released, including two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks, and two rivers.
From the fourth batch (2024): 30 names were released, including 12 mountains, four rivers, one lake, one mountain pass, and 11 residential areas.
The most recent batch (May 2025) follows a similar pattern in terms of categories of locations, but the specific names are not readily available in public reports at this time.
India’s Strategic Interests: Since its independence in 1947, India has aimed to expand its influence, including actions like occupying parts of Kashmir, encroaching on Nepalese territory, annexing Sikkim, controlling Bhutan, and occupying a significant portion of China’s South Tibet. India maintains control over 68,000 square kilometers of this land and heavily defends it, fearing China’s potential advance towards the Gangetic Plain.
Geographical Significance of South Tibet: Located on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, South Tibet is a well-watered region with extensive forest cover, making it one of China’s three major forest areas. The area has significant altitude variations, leading to diverse ecosystems and substantial water resources, particularly from the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra) which has the potential for massive hydropower development.
Strategic Military Importance: If China were to fully control South Tibet, its border would extend to the edge of the Ganges Plain, offering a significant geographical advantage. This is a major concern for India, which explains its strong military presence in the region.
Challenges for China: Despite the strategic advantage of controlling South Tibet, China faces logistical challenges due to the difficult terrain, including the Himalayas, Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, and Hengduan Mountains. The population disparity also poses a challenge, with the Indian state of Assam bordering South Tibet having a much larger population than Tibet.
Historical Context and Current Situation: In 1962, China launched a limited military operation in the region and then withdrew, creating decades of peace. China has since improved infrastructure in Tibet, including railways (Tibet-Xinjiang railway) and highways, which enhances its logistical capabilities in the South Tibet area. However, considering the harsh environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the priority of economic development, peaceful negotiation remains the preferred option for resolving the South Tibet issue.
South Tibet Dispute and Protests: Persistent disputes between China and India over South Tibet. There are rumors of protests by local residents in South Tibet, clashing with Indian soldiers and shouting for a return to China. A Sikh leader, Singh, also publicly stated that South Tibet is China’s inherent territory and should be returned by India.
Importance of South Tibet: The strategic significance of South Tibet, it could bottleneck China’s southwest region. Additionally, South Tibet is rich in natural resources, considered the “green lung” of Tibet, and the only large area on the plateau suitable for rice cultivation.
China’s Military Deployment in South Tibet: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has so-called “nine major trump cards” for reclaiming South Tibet, including combined land and air operations, missiles, drones, the Rocket Force, and high-density satellite monitoring. China’s upgrade of military equipment for mountain warfare, such as light tanks, new artillery, precision-guided rockets, and improved helicopters, which poses a significant threat to India. China has significantly increased its military presence in the southern Tibetan plateau, including the deployment of J-20 stealth fighters and KJ-500 early warning aircraft at the Shigatse Peace Airport, which is located about 300 kilometers from India’s Hashimara Air Force Station. This deployment is seen as a move to establish air superiority in the region. The high altitude of the airport (3900 meters) necessitates longer runways (5000 meters) for aircraft operations
Historical Ownership: Ethnologically, Tibetans and Han Chinese share common origins, and South Tibet was originally Chinese territory. It was demarcated to India by the British during their colonial rule through the “McMahon Line,” when China was in a civil war and unable to intervene.
Geographical and Climatic Advantages of South Tibet: The Himalayas block moisture from the Indian Ocean, ma king South Tibet abundant in rainfall, with high forest coverage, making it highly suitable for rice and tree growth.
India’s Concerns and China’s Countermeasures: India views South Tibet as a threat to its southwest. China’s stance during the India-Pakistan conflict, indicating its intention to restore the original name of South Tibet, was meant as a warning to India.
India’s Plan for Indigenous Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet: To counter military pressure from China and Pakistan, India has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, with delivery expected by 2035. With numerous issues in India’s defense industry, a lack of strategic planning and technological accumulation, and the ineffective utilization of Western fighter jets purchased by India, makes it doubtful.
The Kashmir region remains a potential flashpoint between India and Pakistan. India has reportedly increased its troop presence in South Kashmir to 500,000, raising concerns about potential conflict. The Line of Control is easily crossed due to the contiguous border, and the division of Kashmir into regions controlled by India, Pakistan, and China (Aksai Chin) contributes to the ongoing dispute.
China-Pakistan Military Cooperation and JF-17 Success: The export of China’s J-35 fighter jet to Pakistan. In the India-Pakistan conflict, Chinese mainland fighter jets performed excellently, especially the JF-17, which reportedly shot down an S-400 air defense system, enhancing its reputation in the international arms market. Azerbaijan also reportedly increased its purchase of JF-17s.
Given the geography and existing infrastructure on the Chinese side of the border (which has seen significant development in recent decades), the potential primary axes of advance would likely be concentrated where valleys and passes offer the least formidable obstacles.
General Considerations for Routes:
Western Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang Sector): This sector is historically significant and relatively more accessible from central Tibet.
Bum La Pass: Located at around 5,000 meters (16,500 ft) above sea level, it connects Tsona County in Tibet with India’s Tawang district. This pass has historical significance as the route taken by the 14th Dalai Lama into India in 1959 and was an invasion route during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. China has built significant road infrastructure leading up to its side of the border in this area.
Tulung La Pass: Situated at around 5,260 meters (17,250 ft), also in the Tawang sector, this pass also served as an invasion route in 1962 and has been a site of past clashes. It lies on a watershed between the Tsona Chu river in Tibet and the Tawang Chu.
Eastern Arunachal Pradesh (Upper Siang, Dibang Valley, Anjaw Districts): These areas are also rugged but feature river valleys that could offer routes.
Dihang Pass (Siang Pass): Located at approximately 4,590 meters (15,049 ft), this pass is situated on the way to Tuting in the Upper Siang district and offers views of the Dihang River (known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet). River valleys generally provide relatively lower elevation routes through mountainous terrain.
Diphu La Pass: Located near the tri-junction of India, China, and Myanmar, this pass is at a lower altitude (approximately 5,900 feet) and has historically been an important trade route. Its strategic location makes it relevant for potential movement in the easternmost part of Arunachal Pradesh.
Best and Second Best Routes (based on relative accessibility and historical use in challenging terrain):
Considering the terrain, existing infrastructure development on the Chinese side leading up to the border, and historical precedents of movement, the most likely and relatively “best” axes for ground movement would be:
The Tawang Sector (via Bum La Pass and potentially Tulung La Pass):
Why: This region has seen the most historical activity and has the most developed road infrastructure on the Chinese side leading up to the border. The Tawang district is a key strategic area for both sides. The valleys leading from Tsona County in Tibet offer a pathway towards Indian positions.
Challenges: Despite relative “best,” it still involves extremely high altitudes, challenging passes, and is heavily defended by India, with recent infrastructure upgrades like the Sela Tunnel improving India’s all-weather connectivity to Tawang.
The Eastern Arunachal Pradesh via River Valleys (e.g., Dihang/Siang River Valley or routes connecting to the Lohit River Valley):
Why: While also extremely difficult, river valleys generally provide the lowest elevation and most natural corridors through the highly mountainous terrain of the Himalayas. The Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river system flows from Tibet into Arunachal Pradesh (where it becomes the Siang River).
Challenges: These valleys are deep, narrow, and often heavily forested, making movement difficult. India has also been significantly upgrading its infrastructure in these eastern sectors, including roads like the Arunachal Frontier Highway. Passes like Diphu La, while lower, still involve complex terrain.
Rainbow-YH1000 unmanned logistics aircraft, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) Eleventh Academy.
Design and Adaptability
The Rainbow-YH1000 is a medium-altitude unmanned logistics aircraft featuring a classic logistics aircraft layout and a twin-engine design. It’s equipped with avionics that have been tested in real-world combat scenarios, providing strong anti-jamming capabilities.
A standout feature is its ability for ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) and strong adaptability to harsh takeoff and landing environments. It can operate from:
Secondary roads
Hard dirt roads
Grasslands
Additionally, it can be fitted with:
Floats for water landings
Skis for snow landings
These features significantly expand the drone’s potential application scenarios for unmanned logistics.
Performance and Capacity
The Rainbow-YH1000 boasts impressive performance metrics:
Range: 1,500 kilometers
Mission Endurance: 10 hours
Maximum Altitude: 8,000 meters
Payload Capacity: 1,200 kilograms
It can carry four 1-cubic-meter cargo pallets. Cargo can be loaded and unloaded through the nose of the aircraft, and it also has the capability to drop cargo from its belly. With a 6,000-watt power supply capacity, it can meet the demands of various special operations.
Applications
This unmanned aircraft is designed for a wide range of uses, including:
Connecting central cities with remote counties and townships, offering a low-cost and fast freight solution.
Undertaking various transport and delivery missions.
The MD-19 is a compact, unmanned aerial system developed by China’s Qian Xuesen Science and Technology Youth Task Force.
Design and Speed: It’s described as a sleek, wedge-shaped craft, measuring approximately 8 to 11 feet (2.5 to 3.35 meters) in length. It’s designed to slice through the atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (over 3,800 miles per hour or 6,100 kilometers per hour), making it a hypersonic vehicle. Its aerodynamic architecture, including a wedge-shaped fuselage, delta wings, and canted vertical tails, reduces drag and enhances stability at high speeds. It likely uses a rocket engine for propulsion.
Near-Space Flight: The MD-19 operates in near-space altitudes, the atmospheric layer between traditional airspace and low Earth orbit. This altitude, combined with its hypersonic speed, makes it extremely difficult to intercept with current missile defense systems.
Launch and Landing Capabilities: Unlike many experimental hypersonic vehicles, the MD-19 has demonstrated the ability to decelerate, transition to subsonic speeds, and land horizontally on standard runways. It has been successfully launched from various platforms, including a Tengden TB-001 medium-altitude, long-endurance combat drone and high-altitude balloons. This reusability is a key feature that sets it apart.
Purpose and Strategic Implications: While its exact specifications remain partially classified, the MD-19 is believed to carry payloads, potentially including reconnaissance sensors or experimental weapons. Its strategic implications are profound, especially in regions like the Indo-Pacific. It could be used for real-time reconnaissance over contested areas (like the Taiwan Strait or South China Sea), penetrate anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) zones, and serve as a testbed for hypersonic weapons. Some reports suggest it could potentially be used for anti-satellite missions or as a “kamikaze drone” against ships.
Advanced Control Systems: The drone’s control systems reportedly incorporate “biological intelligence,” suggesting advanced artificial intelligence that mimics natural decision-making processes, enabling it to navigate complex flight paths autonomously.
Development and Testing: The MD-19 is part of the “MD” series of wide-area space vehicles, with the MD-22 being a larger predecessor. The Qian Xuesen Science and Technology Youth Task Force has conducted numerous successful flight tests, including achieving horizontal landing of a high-speed aircraft and the world’s first near-space launch and retrieval experiment.
“Made in China 2025” (MIC2025) was launched in 2015 with the ambitious goal of transforming China from a low-cost manufacturer into a global leader in high-tech industries. As of 2025, its intended completion year, here’s an overview of its progress, achievements, and challenges:
Key Objectives of MIC2025:
Technological Self-Sufficiency: Reduce reliance on foreign technology imports and boost domestic innovation in key strategic sectors.
Global Competitiveness: Enhance the competitiveness of Chinese firms in high-tech global markets.
Industrial Modernization: Upgrade China’s manufacturing sector towards intelligent, green, and service-oriented production.
Domestic Content Targets: Aim for 70% domestic production of core components by 2025 (though these specific targets were often de-emphasized due to international criticism).
Progress and Achievements:
Significant Industrial Expansion: MIC2025 has driven substantial growth in China’s industrial and technological capabilities. China is projected to account for 45% of global manufacturing by 2030.
Leadership in Key Sectors: China has achieved significant success and in some cases, global dominance, in several targeted sectors:
Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Renewable Energy: China produces over 60% of the world’s EVs and is a global leader in wind and solar power technology, controlling many critical upstream and midstream segments (e.g., rare earths, batteries, solar equipment).
High-Speed Rail: China has a highly developed and extensive high-speed rail network and is a major exporter of this technology.
5G and Telecommunications: Companies like Huawei and ZTE have significantly advanced 5G infrastructure globally, despite facing Western restrictions.
Drones and Agricultural Machinery: Chinese firms have become globally competitive in these areas.
Industrial Cloud Services and Power Generation Equipment: Domestic firms have gained considerable market share.
Reduced Import Dependencies: China has largely succeeded in reducing its import dependencies, often by leveraging foreign firms to localize high-tech production and research within China.
Increased R&D Investment: MIC2025 has spurred significant increases in R&D spending by Chinese firms, particularly in targeted sectors.
Growth in Brand Recognition: Chinese brands have made strides in improving quality and expanding globally, with more Chinese brands featuring in global influence rankings.
Strategic Autonomy: The initiative has deepened state-led industrial policy as a central engine of China’s economic strategy, aiming for greater strategic autonomy and geopolitical leverage, particularly in technologies seen as foundational to national security.
Challenges and Criticisms:
Technological Dependencies Persist: While progress has been made, China remains highly dependent on foreign companies in critical, cutting-edge sectors, especially in advanced semiconductors, high-end machine tools, commercial aircraft, and certain premium medical technologies.
Market Distortions and Overcapacity: The heavy reliance on state subsidies, directed lending, and preferential treatment for domestic firms has led to significant market distortions, resource misallocation, and structural overcapacity in some industries.
International Backlash: MIC2025 has faced strong criticism from the United States and other Western economies, who view it as a state-led effort to unfairly dominate global high-tech industries through subsidies, forced technology transfers, and intellectual property theft. This led to trade wars, export restrictions (especially on semiconductors), and efforts by other countries to diversify supply chains and reshore critical industries.
Limited Translation to Productivity and Innovation: While R&D intensity increased, some analyses suggest that direct participation in MIC2025 programs hasn’t consistently translated into significant gains in overall firm productivity or patenting, beyond pre-existing advantages of selected firms.
Rising Costs: China’s manufacturing sector faces rising labor and operational costs, stricter environmental regulations, and supply chain disruptions.
Intellectual Property and Quality Control: Concerns about intellectual property theft, counterfeiting, and quality inconsistencies remain challenges for foreign companies operating in China.
Economic Headwinds: China’s overall economic growth has slowed, and imbalances and inefficiencies continue to hinder progress in some areas.
Overall Assessment:
“Made in China 2025” has undoubtedly transformed China into a more technologically sophisticated manufacturing power and significantly reshaped global value chains in key sectors. It has accelerated China’s drive for technological self-reliance and bolstered its position as a major player in emerging technologies. However, it has also faced significant internal challenges and considerable international pushback, particularly from the US, which has complicated its full realization and led to ongoing geopolitical tensions. While the specific “MIC2025” moniker has faded from official rhetoric, its underlying goals and strategies continue under different names (e.g., “Dual Circulation,” “New Productive Forces”) as China pursues its long-term vision of becoming a global technology and industrial superpower. Sources
May 29th, the Long March 3B carrier rocket (长征三号乙运载火箭) successfully launched the Tianwen-2 probe (天问二号探测器) into its pre-set orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Tianwen-2 Mission Objectives
The Tianwen-2 mission has ambitious plans for deep space exploration:
Asteroid Exploration and Sample Return: It will first conduct reconnaissance of asteroid 2016HO3, collect samples, and then return them to Earth.
Main-Belt Comet Exploration: Following the asteroid mission, Tianwen-2 will proceed to conduct scientific exploration of the main-belt comet 311P.
Power System Innovations (Developed by SAST 811 Institute)
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) 8th Academy (中国航天科技集团八院), specifically its 811 Institute (八院811所), was responsible for developing Tianwen-2’s primary power subsystem. This power system boasts two critical features: high autonomy and high reliability.
This is akin to equipping a long-distance explorer with a self-sufficient and intelligent backpack, ensuring they can handle various challenges during their journey.
Overcoming Challenges of Deep Space Energy Supply
Tianwen-2’s journey to distant deep space presents significant energy challenges. While its solar arrays will constantly face the sun to gather energy, the intensity of sunlight diminishes as the probe moves farther from the sun.
To counter the impact of environmental changes on energy, Tianwen-2 innovatively applies a series-connected topology power controller (串联型拓扑结构电源控制器), a first for China’s deep space exploration. This new technology grants the probe’s energy management system a high degree of autonomy. It acts like the “super brain” of the power system, intelligently adjusting the output power of the solar arrays based on the real-time needs of the probe’s various loads. This ensures precise power supply, truly achieving a “take only what’s needed” approach, and maintaining internal energy balance. Compared to previous control methods, this highly autonomous energy management significantly reduces heat generation by the controller and successfully “slims down” the precious deep-space probe.
Dual Independent Power Supply Lines
To better support the probe’s mission, Tianwen-2 provides two independent power supply buses:
A high-voltage bus specifically powers the electric propulsion system.
A low-voltage bus handles the energy demands of other platform loads.
The SAST development team conducted extensive joint tests during the design, prototype development, and final production stages to continuously optimize isolation technologies and protection strategies for these systems.
Role of Lithium-ion Batteries
While the solar arrays are the primary energy source, lithium-ion batteries also play a crucial role. They will “take turns on duty” with the solar arrays during critical phases such as launch, orbital adjustments, mid-course corrections, and especially during the sampling phase, ensuring the probe functions normally during every key operation.
This mission represents China’s first deep space probe requiring ultra-long-life lithium-ion batteries. Unlike previous missions, Tianwen-2’s lithium-ion batteries will spend most of their time in orbit in a storage state (存储状态), with very few charge-discharge cycles over the long mission duration.
To ensure the batteries maintain optimal performance throughout their operational lifespan, the SAST development team selected long-life, high-reliability lithium-ion batteries. This type of battery has already successfully passed rigorous tests in other space missions, including the Chinese Space Station. The team conducted extensive life-cycle tests at different discharge depths and storage tests under various high-temperature conditions to validate their performance.
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The target asteroid is small, potentially around 100 meters in size.
Its composition and origin are unknown, with possibilities including material from the early Earth or ejection from the Moon.
The mission’s primary scientific goal is to explore this previously unstudied asteroid.
Specific scientific objectives include determining its orbit, rotation, tilt, and orbital evolution.
Another key objective is to understand the asteroid’s composition and structure.
May 29, 2025, China successfully launched the Shijian-26 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The satellite was carried into orbit by a Long March-4B rocket. Shijian-26 is designed to provide information services for national economic development, with applications in national land surveys, environmental management, and other sectors.
