China's Game-Changing Developments in Shipbuilding, Defense, and Advanced Technologies - You Won't Believe What's Happening!

 

Nation's Shipbuilders Chart Exciting Waters

Lin Guolong, director of Shanghai Maritime University's Logistics Research Center, said cruise ships usually undergo two sea trials before receiving certificates from major international classification bodies. Zhang Yuzhuo, chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, said the delivery of Adora Magic City marks a milestone in the nation's transformation to a shipbuilding power and a fresh start for China's goal of creating an industrial cruise ecosystem. Wang Hong, president and professor of management at the China Europe International Business School, said, "The inaugural voyage of the China-built vessel represents not only a great breakthrough for the nation's high-end manufacturing techniques but also for Chinese people's pursuit of and demand for a better life. "The entire management operation for Adora Magic City incorporates everything people need onboard, including eating, drinking, entertainment, and sightseeing, making the vessel a gigantic amusement park and mobile resort. Lin Guolong, director of Shanghai Maritime University's Logistics Research Center, said, "These achievements in high-end ships have been made not only in terms of technologies and craftsmanship but also in winning market recognition."

China appoints Dong Jun as new defence minister

China's top legislators announced Mr Dong's appointment at a Standing Committee meeting of the National People's Congress in Beijing on Friday. Reuters reported that further sackings took place this week, with nine senior military officials removed from the Standing Committee on Friday, citing state media outlet Xinhua. According to state media, three executives at state-owned missile defense firms were also removed from Beijing's top political advisory body earlier this week. Mr Dong's appointment comes after military personnel from China and the US held their first high-level talks by phone in over a year last week. In recent months, there has been a rapprochement between China and the US, with Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting his counterpart Joe Biden in California in November and agreeing to resume military communications.

China's first high-energy synchrotron radiation facility to be lit in 2024

From an aerial view, the HEPS consists of three main buildings, with an overall shape resembling a magnifying glass, symbolizing "a tool for exploring the microscopic world." Among them, the storage ring is the core of the light source, producing a bright SR beam and requiring greater technological advancements. The alignment errors of most of these elements must be controlled within 50 micrometers, which is less than the diameter of a human hair over such a large scale, according to Pan. More than 500 researchers have been involved in the HEPS project, which consists of multiple disciplines such as magnets, vacuum, power supply, mechanics, and X-ray optics and detection. Pan noted that integrating various technologies and letting talents from various disciplines collaborate are the keys to realizing a large-scale scientific project such as HEPS.

New high-speed railway routes start operations

The 261-km line will boost tourism, linking the provincial capital of Chengdu with Zigong, famed for its dinosaur fossils, and the white spirits brewing city of Yibin. According to China State Railway Group, the country now has trains running at the highest commercial speeds. It boasts the greatest variety of operational scenarios, thus transforming the nation from a follower of high-speed rail development to a true technological leader. In Sichuan, the engineering feat involved tackling the notoriously challenging topography featuring treacherous mountains, deep valleys, and snaking rivers. However, engineers conquered the terrain, building 231 bridges and 29 tunnels along the new line, surpassing past global challenges in high-speed rail construction in the mountains, China State Railway Group said. According to the China State Railway Group, technical hurdles were addressed by constructing critical infrastructure elements, including the Aojiang River Mega Bridge and the Huilai Tunnel.

China’s BYD overtakes Tesla's electric car sales in the last quarter of 2023

Chinese company BYD sold more electric vehicles than Elon Musk's Tesla in the last three months of 2023 as the two battled for the top spot in the sector. The milestone achieved by BYD is a reminder of the firm's challenges, which helped launch the electric vehicle industry. The company made a name for itself as a manufacturer of rechargeable batteries - used in smartphones, laptops, and other electronics - that competed with pricier Japanese imports. It started selling its shares on the stock market in 2002 and diversified by purchasing a struggling state-owned car manufacturer, Qinchuan Automobile Company. BYD's battery business helped to give it the flexibility to cut prices sharply at the end of 2023, lifting sales, which jumped by 70% in December alone.

APA Citations:

NATION'S SHIPBUILDERS CHART EXCITING WATERS (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2024-01/02/content_001_659320f0ed50580218b0b554.htm#001FRONT

China appoints Dong Jun as new defence minister (2023-12-29T15:44:48.000Z). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-67842848?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

China's first high-energy synchrotron radiation facility to be lit in 2024: chief engineer - Global Times (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202401/1304655.shtml

New high-speed railway routes start operations (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2023-12/27/content_003_658b2ea3ed50580218b0b0d6.htm#003TOP%20NEWS

China’s BYD overtakes Tesla's electric car sales in last quarter of 2023 (2024-01-02T14:44:31.000Z). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67860232?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA