China successfully builds laser communication links for new-generation space-borne IoT project

China’s new-generation space-borne Internet-of-Things (IoT) project codenamed Xingyun-2 has successfully completed the communication link between the first two satellites in the network, marking a historical first in the country’s IoT space network, the Global Times learned from the developer on Thursday.

Technological testing for the laser communication payloads onboard the two satellites of the Xingyun-2 星云2 project achieved success, the project developer team with the LEOBIT Technology Co 莱奥比特科技公司 of the Wuhan-based Sanjiang Group, a subsidiary under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).

The two satellites coded Xingyun-2 01 and 02 are the first two satellites of the network and they were launched on May 12 by the country’s Kuaizhou-1A commercial carrier rocket, which was developed by the Wuhan-based Sanjiang Group. And in-orbit tests have been in process ever since. 

“Having successfully built communication link between the two satellites, all core technological tests for the spacecraft have been fully conducted,” the developer told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Thursday. 

Inter-satellite laser communication technology is to use laser beam to convey information in the forms of such as image, audio and signals, in space, in a high-speed fashion and with a strong interference-resistance capability.

By adopting such inter-satellite communication technology, the satellite constellation can reduce dependence on ground stations, saving the cost of building such ground facility, and at the same time, enabling the space-based network to cover larger areas to achieve global measuring and controlling capability. 

The PLA is conducting a Multi-Mission exercise in the Taiwan Strait

  • The US reconnaissance aircrafts have repeatedly approached the Chinese mainland for reconnaissance.
  • U.S. warships cross the Taiwan Strait.
  • The scurrying of senior United States officials to Taiwan.
  • US selling weapons to Taiwan
Air Force Colonel Zhang Chunhui 张春晖, spokesman for the Eastern Theater of Operations , said the PLA has recently mobilized troops from multiple services in multiple directions and systems, organizing continuous combat exercises in the Taiwan Strait and at the north and south ends to further test and enhance the joint combat capabilities of multiple services.

  Recently, a certain major country has continued to make negative moves on Taiwan-related issues, sending a serious wrong signal to the “Taiwan Secession” forces and seriously threatening peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan is a sacred and inalienable part of China’s territory, and the patrols and training activities organized by the theatre forces are necessary to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and the need to safeguard national sovereignty. The theater forces will remain on high alert at all times, take all necessary measures, resolutely respond to all provocative acts that create “Taiwan Secession ” and divide the country, and resolutely defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China.

  This exercise no longer emphasized that “it does not target specific countries or regions”, but directly stated that a certain major country has sent a serious wrong signal to the “Taiwan Secession ” forces, and we will take necessary actions.

  Military commentator Song Zhongping宋忠平 said that the Taiwan exercises highly targets, which will make the ” Taiwan Secession ” activists and extra-territorial forces understand that the PLA is not ambiguous on the Taiwan issue and has no room for bargaining. The root cause of the Taiwan issue is that the ”
Taiwan Secession ” forces, with the connivance of the United States and other extraterritorial countries, may take desperate risks. Now that we have found the focus of the conflict, we should point it out clearly to discourage and deter the “Taiwan Secession ” forces from acting wilfully. Otherwise, the PLA will follow the anti-secession law to resolve the Taiwan Sea issue along with the issue of extraterritorial countries interfering in China’s internal affairs.

  It is self-evident who the ” extraterritorial country ” refer to.

  • On the 12th, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration’s so-called “representative in the United States” Xiao Meiqin萧美琴 declared that Taiwan is in discussions with the United States on military purchases, including “coast guard cruise missile systems” (CDCM) and smart mines are among the discussions.
  • After the arrest of the ringleader of the HK rebellion, Jimmy Lai黎智英 , Tsai Ing-wen stated before the regular meeting of the DPP on 12th that the mainland had “directly infringed upon the foundations of freedom, human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong through Hong Kong’s national security laws”, and declared that the DPP would keep its promise to “continue to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to the people of Hong Kong”.
  • DPP authorities leaders also videotaped a speech at a U.S. think tank video conference, using “freedom and democracy” as an excuse, claiming that will strengthen relations between Taiwan and the United States.

  U.S. recently flipped the Taiwan card: the U.S. Secretary of Health Alex Azar visit Taiwan, the U.S. intends to sell at least four advanced drones – “Sea Guardian”
to Taiwan . This type of drone, can detect the PLA’s military movements real-time , including the deployment of troops in and out of key waterways, this is a threat to the PLA. In addition, the U.S. is also hoping that Taiwan will pay for its own intelligence-gathering.

U.S. Offers GA-ASI Sea Guardian UAS to India | Defense News ...
Sea Guardian

“These drones, flying non-stop on a regular basis, pose a threat with the reconnaissance of PLA’s troop deployments. However, the PLA has the ability to capture or destroy them, the threat will cease to exist,” Song Zhongping.

  What’s more important than deterrence?

  As a matter of fact, the Chinese army had held several live exercises in the Taiwan Sea in 1996, 2015 and 2018. Each exercise coincided with the United States playing the “Taiwan card”. The difference is that over time, the PLA’s strength is not the same from that of the past.

  The statement on the Taiwan Sea drill also clearly indicates the location and deployment of troops: a multi-discipline, multi-regional system of troops, the continuous organization of combat exercises in the Taiwan Strait and the north and south ends.

  Song Zhongping stressed that this information is crucial. The so-called Multi-Mission system, is the key embodiment of joint warfare, and the PLA is one of the few armies in the world with a Multi-Mission combat capability.

  The same is true when focusing on the Eastern Theater of operations that participated in the exercise. Song Zhongping said the Eastern Theater Joint Battle Command will assemble and mobilize the land, sea, air and rocket forces of multiple forces throughout the Eastern Theater jurisdiction together. “The Eastern Theater is doing such a series of exercises to enhance the preparation for military struggle against Taiwan, especially to target strong enemy intervention.”

  At the same time, Song Zhongping believes that this military exercise has a strong significance, the exercise field includes the Taiwan Strait and the north and south ends, forming a “Territorial Military Exercise” against Taiwan specifically. In addition, he mentioned that in addition to deterrence, the more important role of the actual military exercises is to survey military projection in accordance with the actual battle plan, and rehearse in a real environment.

Chinese virus fighters get top honor

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a presidential order to award epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan the Medal of the Republic, the highest state honor, for his outstanding contributions in China’s fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. 

This is the second time for China to award the medal. The first was awarded last year to pharmaceutical chemist Tu Youyou, Yuan Longping, a Chinese agronomist and educator, and Shen Liangliang, a soldier of the Chinese peacekeeping force in Mali.

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Along with Zhong, China’s top medical adviser Zhang Boli, top Chinese vaccine researcher Chen Wei and Zhang Dingyu, dean of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, were awarded national honorary titles, “the People’s Hero.”

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Awarding the top honor to four prominent coronavirus fighters in China showcases the core spirit of the Chinese people in respecting science and professionalism – two key factors that helped the country win the battle against COVID-19, experts said.

2020 Fortune Global 500 list

The 2020 Fortune Global 500 list was released, with Walmart becoming the world’s largest company for the seventh year in a row, Sinopec remaining in second place, State Grid moving up to third, PetroChina in fourth, and Shell dropping to fifth place. seven Internet companies made the list, including Amazon, Alphabet Inc. and Facebook Inc. from the U.S., as well as China’s Jingdong Group, Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Xiaomi Group. The most striking change in this year’s rankings is the number of companies in Mainland China + Hong Kong, which reaches 124, surpassing the US (121) for the first time in history.