Soft Landing on the Far Side of the Moon
On January 3, 2019, the Chang’e 4 probe sent back photos of the Von Karman crater in the South Pole-Aitken basin, after its successful soft landing, the first ever by a man-made vehicle, on the surface of the far side of the moon. This feat was hailed as opening a new chapter in mankind’s lunar exploration. CAS researchers made significant contributions to the mission.
25 CAS Projects (Researchers) Receive 2018 State S&T Prizes
China’s National Science and Technology Award Conference convened in Beijing on January 8, where 278 projects and seven scientists won the national prizes for the past year. Among them 25 were from CAS. In addition, two foreign scientists recommended by CAS won international science and technology cooperation awards.(photo by Xinhua)
CAS Forms Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with CNNC
On behalf of their respective organizations, CAS Vice President XIANGLI Bin and Vice President of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) LI Qingtang put their names on a framework agreement of comprehensive strategic cooperation between CAS and CNNC on January 31 in Beijing. The signing ceremony was witnessed by CAS President BAI Chunli and Board Chairman of the China National Nuclear Corporation YU Jianxiong. Also at the ceremony, a cooperation agreement on rare isotope xenon-136 was exchanged between the CAS Institute of High Energy Physics and the China Nuclear Industry Machinery (Tianjin) Co. LTD.
Project on S&T for Ecological Development Launched in Beijing
Supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS, a research project on science and technology for ecological civilization development in China was formally launched in Beijing on February 15. Presided over by CAS Vice President ZHANG Yaping, the kick-off meeting was attended by CAS President BAI Chunli and other high-level S&T officials. Led by Prof. GE Quansheng, director of the CAS Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, the research project will pool outstanding S&T resources in the field to address major frontier issues of ecological civilization development in line with the national needs to build a beautiful China.
CAS “Science Express” Starts Its Journey
Supported by CAS, a science exhibition on wheels set out its trip in Beijing on February 25. CAS President BAI Chunli attended the kick-off meeting. The “Science Express”, a science exhibit on a coach, will play host to a wide range of science and technology enthusiasts from different age groups. Using modern exhibition technology, including a mobile dome cinema, it focuses on research achievements in different fields ranging from deep space, deep ocean, deep earth to life science, agricultural ecology and big science facilities.
Construction Starts for a Support Center for Manned Space Flights in Beijing
A meeting to launch the project to construct an Operation and Management Support Center for CMSP (China’s Manned Space Program) was held in Beijing on March 15. Presided over by CAS Vice President XIANGLI Bin, the launching ceremony was attended by CAS President BAI Chunli and Deputy Commander of CMSP QIAN Weiping. Based on the CAS Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, the support center will assist CMSP in a variety of operation and management tasks, including planning of space utilization projects, technology management, technology transfer and promotion, space science and technology research, outreach of space science and technology, international cooperation, and operation management planning.
CAS to Deepen S&T Cooperation with Hainan Province
An S&T Cooperation Agreement between CAS and Hainan Province was signed in Sanya, Hainan Province on March 24. CAS President BAI Chunli and Hainan Governor SHEN Xiaoming witnessed the signing.
Symposium on World Ocean Exploration Held in Hainan
Jointly sponsored by CAS and the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Symposium on Deep Seas Exploration of the World Oceans took place at the CAS Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering in South China’s Hainan Province. Chaired by CAS Vice President ZHANG Yaping, its opening ceremony was held on March 25.
President of Serbia Meets with BAI Chunli
On March 27, the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vu？i？ met with CAS President BAI Chunli in Belgrade. The Serbian President stressed that efforts will be strengthened to promote the exchanges and cooperation between his country and CAS regarding personnel training and S&T research.
New Labs Inaugurated at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center
Two new institutes, one devoted to energy research and the other artificial intelligence, were established recently at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center in the capital city of Anhui Province. Their official launching ceremony was attended by CAS President BAI Chunli and Party Chief of Anhui Province LI Jinbin during the second Council meeting of the Center on April 11. Focusing on research of information technology, energy, health and the environment, the Center seeks breakthroughs in quantum communications, nuclear fusion, smog prevention, cancer treatment and more. It will be the first national innovation platform in China’s central and western regions when the construction is completed in 2020. Its council is jointly chaired by BAI Chunli and LI Jinbin.
The 2nd Council Meeting of Center of Quantum Information Held in Hefei
The second Council Meeting of the CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics (CCE-QIQP) took place on April 11 in Hefei. It was attended by CAS President BAI Chunli and Party Chief of Anhui Province LI Jinbin. CCE-QIQP was established in January 2014 under the directorship of Prof. PAN Jianwei (Jian-wei Pan), a CAS Member. It has committed itself to two strategic objectives set for the next 15 years. One is to build a wide-area quantum communication network, to apply the quantum communication in national defense, government affairs, finance, etc., and to create strategic industries with China taking a leading international role and a next-generation national information-secure ecosystem. The other is to achieve coherent manipulation of approximately 100 qubits, to transcend comprehensively the capacity of classical computers in tackling specific problems, and to achieve practical quantum-enhanced precision measurement technologies and finally explore a practical way for universal quantum computers.