China Science & Technology Digest:
September 15-30, 2004
ATIP
This digest summarizes S&T-related articles that appeared in the media ATIP monitored in the second half of September 2004. Some articles reference a relevant website to assist readers in obtaining further information. For questions or to request additional information, please send email to ChinaST@atip.or.jp. The exchange rate used for this issue is RMB8.287 against the U.S. dollar.
China Develops Powerful Communication Chips
China has developed and marketed the country's first batch of powerful system chips that can be used in communication equipment and terminals. A high-performance embedded central processing unit and a digital signal processor have been integrated into the chip, known as COMIP system chip, which is capable of processing up to 500 million instructions per second. The Chinese-made chip is more power-efficient than similar foreign-manufactured products. It can be used in complete sets of communication equipment and terminals, according to Chinese experts involved in the development program. The chip has been used in mobile phone sets, videophone sets, and other consumer electronic goods launched by Datang, the country's largest integrated circuit designing firm.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 09/23/2004
China Joins Top Rank of World Chipmakers
China's largest microchip maker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., has opened its fifth factory in Beijing. The plant is China's first to process silicon wafers that are 300-millimeters in diameter. These yield more than twice as many chips as the previous generation of 200-millimeter wafers.
Source: People's Daily 09/28/2004
China Develops New Maglev Train
China has developed a new kind of magnetic levitation train. Chinese scientists used a new theory to produce the maglev train, which is different from Germany's and Japan's. The new technology, which uses magnetic force to be lifted above the ground and to move, lowers the cost of the track to only 50 million yuan, or about US$8 million, per kilometer. The sample train will compete with the maglev train made in Germany and Japan at an international maglev train exhibition in October.
Source: China Daily 09/23/2004
China Begins Mass Production of Nanomaterials
Chinese scientists have created a new technology which enables the mass production of nanomaterial. Nanomaterial is a kind of powder that is composed of hundreds of atoms. It is said that the technique is mainly based on the basic plasma skills, vacuum, and mechanical skills. A company has been established in northwest China's Gansu Province to produce nanomaterials in large quantity. The capacity of the first mass production line is 500 grams nanomaterial per hour. The nanomaterials can be used as catalyzer of the rocket fuel and germicide.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 09/22/2004
China Launches 20th Recoverable Science Satellite
China successfully launched its 20th recoverable satellite for scientific and technological experiments from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March2-D carrier rocket. The new satellite will mainly be used for scientific research, geological surveying, and mapping. It is expected to return in a few days after accomplishing its mission. This launch is the 80th for the Long March family, as well as China's 38th successful space launch since 1996.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 09/27/2004
China's New-generation Rocket Seeks Approval
China's space program is expecting government approval this year to build a new and more powerful rocket that will serve as the nation's vehicle to explore the moon. Luan Enjie, director-in-chief of China's lunar exploration program, says the new-generation carrier rocket will be developed over the next eight years. It will use environmentally-friendly and non-toxic fuel, such as liquefied hydrogen and oxygen propellants. The new rocket is also expected to compete for satellite-launching business with a carrying capacity of up to 25 tons for low-orbit missions and 14 tons for higher-orbit missions.
Source: China Daily 09/17/2004
Three Portals Form Alliance
Three Chinese website portals, Sina, Sohu, and Netease have formed an alliance to improve the development of the wireless Internet in China. In response to the 2004 China Internet Conference, the three portals promise to implement China's Internet laws and regulations and ensure a healthy and credible development of the Internet. The CEOs of the three portals hope to boost the growth of the wireless Internet industry and improve customer service.
Source: Xinhuanews Agency 09/16/2004
China Ranks Second in Digital Cinemas
There are 200 digital cinemas in the world. China has 57, ranking the second in the world following the United States. By the end of this year, there will be 166 digital cinemas in China, and the number of digital cinemas in the country is predicted by experts to reach 1,000 within a few years, outnumbering those in the United States.
Source: People's Daily 09/19/2004
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