China has reportedly exceeded three million fifth-generation base stations, continuing its dominance as an internet and communications technology powerhouse, outpacing the US in annual 5G installations. Data released by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) indicated that the Asian superpower has reached a total of 3.19 million stations – an average of…
In a landmark moment for urban passenger mobility, Chinese authorities have green-lit the world’s first flying taxi. Designed and manufactured in Guangdong province, southeast China, the EH216-S uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) loosely resembles a scaled-up hobbyist drone. Passengers sit in a car-sized protective bubble above the UAV’s propulsion and lift system of 16 powerful rotors…
Chinese renewables giant, Ming Yang Energy Group, continues to push the limits of what’s possible in the offshore wind industry, this time announcing plans to build a world-record 22-megawatt turbine with Eiffel-Tower-sized blades. The engineering and design team expects to complete early prototype models within two years, according to Ming Yang insiders. Companies like Ming…
Chinese tech behemoth, Baidu, claims the upgraded version of its AI chatbot is as sophisticated as OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4. On October 17, the Beijing-based internet and artificial intelligence firm unveiled ERNIE 4.0 which its developers say is comparable, if not better, than GPT-4. Speaking at the company’s flagship event, Baidu World 2023, CEO Robin Li put…
A team of Chinese geologists has uncovered a deposit of rare metal ore that could revolutionise the country’s steel, aviation, energy and medical industries. The substance has been dubbed niobabaotite by its discoverers, researchers from the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology of the Chinese National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The metal, which consists of several…
Chinese astronomers have told state media that they are working on a prototype version of the Xuntian space telescope to rival the Hubble telescope. The 2.5 gigapixel ultra-violet optical observatory will reportedly have a field of view 300-350 times wider than the NASA-engineered Hubble telescope and will reportedly be operational as soon as 2024. Xuntian,…
Chinese artificial intelligence start-up, Haomo.ai, has announced it has created an affordable autonomous driving assistance system that it claims is cheaper and better than the products offered by its competitors. The Beijing-based company revealed three new ‘L2’ autonomous systems, which it has made available to motor vehicle companies starting from $411 per unit. Each ‘Hpilot’…
A team of Chinese researchers has created a low-carbon building material from brick waste, sand and other mineral grains. The inspiration for their breakthrough came from an unlikely source: sandcastle worms. Also referred to as honeycomb tube worms, the diminutive marine species build reefs by secreting sand particles combined with a glue-like substance, creating small…
In a massive windfall for its domestic semiconductor industry, China has unveiled plans to build a giant particle accelerator to assist in the production of semiconductors. Recent reports suggest the world’s second largest economy is preparing to build a 150-metre facility that will use electron beams to produce the important chips – essential for everything…
China has revealed plans to establish a second satellite “mega constellation” to provide high-speed broadband internet services aimed at competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink network. The constellation, reportedly called ‘G60 Starlink’, will consist of up to 12 000 satellites settled in low earth orbit, according to Chinese state media. When completed, G60 will join the…