By Wu Yuehui, People’s Daily

A series of research findings by Chinese scientists on the samples collected by the Chang’e-6 mission from the moon’s far side have unveiled the volcanic activity, ancient magnetic field, water content and geochemical characteristics of the moon mantle, shedding the first light on the evolutionary history of its dark side.

For the first time, researchers found evidence of volcanic activity on the moon’s far side approximately 4.2 billion and 2.8 billion years ago, indicating such activity had persisted for at least 1.4 billion years.

Since Chang’e-6 brought lunar far-side samples back to Earth in June 2024, Chinese research teams have made multiple groundbreaking discoveries within just one year. Four of these findings were published in Nature, reflecting a research pace that significantly surpasses comparable international missions.

The driving force behind this rapid progress lies in China’s unique organized scientific research model, a structured approach that differs from the traditional “free exploration” method. Tailored to respond to the evolving frontiers of science and technology, this model is designed to address major scientific questions and technical bottlenecks.

By enabling systematic planning, cross-institutional collaboration, and innovative mechanisms, the organized scientific research model breaks down disciplinary boundaries and mitigates fragmented efforts. It integrates high-quality resources, reduces redundancy, and enhances efficiency, making it particularly effective in addressing urgent scientific tasks and advancing core technologies.

During the early planning stages of the Chang’e-6 mission, researchers identified the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the moon’s far side as the landing site to investigate the long-standing enigma of the asymmetry between the near and far sides. This targeted approach ensured that research efforts remained concentrated and efficient.

During sample analysis, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) led coordinated efforts with dozens of institutions, including Nanjing University and the China Academy of Space Technology, to foster in-depth interdisciplinary collaboration. Scientists and engineers from diverse fields worked side by side, facilitating the exchange of ideas and the generation of innovative solutions.

One notable example involved a batch of basaltic fragments, which were analyzed by multidisciplinary teams specializing in geochemistry, geology, and geophysics. These teams jointly examined the samples’ age, water content, origin, and magnetic properties, demonstrating the collaborative efforts of organized scientific research.

Complementing this organized model was a spirit of scientific exploration. The far side of the moon – long beyond the reach of previous sampling missions – remained a true scientific frontier.

Wu Fuyuan, an academician of CAS and a leading researcher with the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, noted that the far side was completely uncharted territory, with no certainty about what might be retrieved.

“This reverence for the unknown and the fear of missing something important permeated the entire research process,” Wu said. Despite numerous uncertainties and formidable challenges, researchers pressed forward with resolve, achieving major breakthroughs that marked a leap from “zero to one.”

As a new wave of scientific and technological revolution accelerates, scientific challenges are becoming increasingly complex. The limitations of single-discipline research and isolated efforts have become evident. Solving today’s complex scientific issues and major technological challenges requires a broader embrace of organized, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research, guided by frontier trends in science and technology.

The Chang’e-6 mission stands as a testament to the effectiveness of China’s organized scientific research model. Its success provides valuable experience for tackling even greater scientific and technological challenges ahead.

By Li Zhongwen, Liu Junguo, People’s Daily

One out of every three Android smartphones worldwide is equipped with optical lenses made in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang province. More than 90 percent of global sewing machine manufacturers rely on rotary hooks produced in the city. Ningbo also supplies 40 percent of the cutting wire used globally by high-precision machine tools for producing precision molds and components.

Through a dedicated focus on specialized precision manufacturing, Ningbo-based companies have secured a strong foothold in the global industrial chain. In recent years, the city has been accelerating its efforts to build a world-class hub for advanced manufacturing, steadily enhancing its industrial capabilities.

Fostering champions of specialized manufacturing

Ningbo has cultivated a robust ecosystem of manufacturing champions, with a strong emphasis on nurturing highly specialized sectors.

“Orders are already booked through 2027,” said Zhu Mengxing, co-founder of Ningbo Zhongke Xianglong Lightweight Technology Co., Ltd. According to Zhu, the company’s operating revenue doubled year on year in the first half of this year, with full-year growth projected to reach 220 percent.

As a pioneer in lightweight solutions for the commercial aerospace industry, the company manufactures major components for aircraft engines and civilian aerospace systems. It has achieved a 42 percent weight reduction in critical aerospace structures, significantly boosting performance and efficiency.

In 2024, the company undertook 27 commercial aerospace projects, securing a leading share of China’s commercial aerospace market.

Ningbo has established a tiered support system for enterprises at every stage of development, including potential startups, key enterprises, “little giant” enterprises (specialized SMEs with strong innovation capacity) and individual manufacturing champions. This system encourages synergy among companies of all sizes, promoting comprehensive upgrades across technologies, products, and supply chains. The city is currently home to 104 nationally recognized individual manufacturing champion enterprises.

Emerging industries on the rise

Ningbo’s emerging industries have maintained strong momentum. In the first half of 2025, the added value of high-tech manufacturing, the digital economy-related manufacturing, and equipment manufacturing rose by 13.1 percent, 7.7 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively.

A key driver behind this growth is the city’s emphasis on collaborative innovation across industrial chain and clusters, which has significantly enhanced overall production capacity.

In the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, new energy vehicles (NEVs) are being prepared for global shipment. According to Ningbo Customs, the port exported 107,000 NEVs in the first half of this year, up 275 percent year on year.

The export boom is supported by one of China’s most concentrated automotive ecosystems, featuring approximately 5,000 auto parts suppliers within a 50-kilometer radius of the city.

Since Chinese automaker BYD established its east China production base in Ningbo, local parts sourcing has jumped from 35 percent to 68 percent in just six months, enabling same-day delivery of critical components.

Currently, Ningbo is home to more than 8,800 high-tech enterprises, with the added value of high-tech industries accounting for more than 60 percent of the total value-added industrial output of enterprises above the designated size. The city has independently or jointly built several national-level advanced manufacturing clusters and specialized SME industrial clusters.

Enhancing digital and green transformation

Ningbo is strategically integrating digitalization and sustainable practices to drive new economic growth.

On an intelligent production line for air fryers, a robotic arm powered by renewable energy installs a precision smart control module. From injection molding to stamping and coating, the entire process takes just 30 seconds before the appliance is ready for packaging and export.

At Zhejiang Biyi Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. in Yuyao, a county-level city under Ningbo’s administration, a 5-megawatt rooftop solar panel system glistens in the sun.

“Thanks to solar energy and our new high-efficiency compressed air system, we’re saving over 1.7 million yuan (about $236,719) a year,” said Pan Zaiming, chairman of the company’s board of supervisors.

As a major advanced manufacturing hub in China, Ningbo is charting new paths for industrial transformation by integrating digitalization with sustainable practices.

For instance, a local textile company has developed a flexible, intelligent workshop capable of identifying carbon-intensive and polluting processes, while a local new materials firm is applying digital solutions to eco-friendly product design.

In 2024, Ningbo implemented over 2,700 digital transformation projects for industrial enterprises above the designated size, achieving full coverage. The city added 11 national-level 5G smart factories and six provincial-level pilot “future factories

By Song Haoxin, People’s Daily

In Guihua township of Pengzhou, southwest China’s Sichuan province, the air hums with the sound of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of various types and sizes are a constant presence in the skies – hovering, gliding, and maneuvering. This township is home to the Chinese national civil UAV testing base – known as “Sky Eye.”

Located in the northwestern corner of the Chengdu Plain, Pengzhou spans elevations from 489 meters to 4,814 meters above sea level. This vast elevation range creates a unique topographical environment, offering an expansive and versatile testing environment for advancing the low-altitude economy. 

Currently, “Sky Eye” features 10 functional areas, including those for test flights, countermeasure validation, and communications, along with 19 distinct test scenarios. The facility has attracted 145 enterprises and research institutions, ranking it first among China’s 20 national UAV testing bases in terms of the number of facilities and testing scenarios.

Notably, “Sky Eye” pioneered a nationwide reform in airspace management, shifting from pre-approvals to a streamlined notification system. Previously, UAV test flights required applications seven working days in advance. Now, only a 30-minute advance filing is necessary. This substantial reduction in processing time has significantly accelerated project implementation. Since this reform, the base has recorded more than 200 flights per day on average, with airspace utilization efficiency increasing by over fivefold.

Leveraging the cluster of drone-related enterprises, Pengzhou is also actively enhancing its capabilities in low-altitude security, aiming to build an integrated management platform that facilitates surveillance, target identification, and countermeasure operations across low-altitude airspace.

Among the resident enterprises at “Sky Eye” is Shenzhen Naijie Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. When company head Chen Wei first visited Pengzhou, the base was still in its early stages. However, he was immediately attracted by its diverse topography, flexible airspace, and high frequency of test flights. Within just one week, he completed site registration and testing preparations.

Through continuous innovation and technological advancements, the company developed a multispectral electro-optical tracking system. By integrating multispectral imaging with intelligent recognition, the system can continuously monitor small, slow-moving, and low-altitude targets such as drones within a 3-to-5 kilometer radius – ideal for urban security and major event protection. “In these mountain valleys, we do not just test products; we realize our dreams,” Chen noted.

In recent years, Pengzhou has evolved from testing services to full industrial integration,  establishing local manufacturing and R&D facilities. The city launched China’s first “4S store” for drones, providing services on drone sales, maintenance, parts and information. This facility enables enterprises to purchase a full range of drones and counter-surveillance products, order customized solutions for specific applications, and conduct immediate on-site testing – all within a single location.

Recognizing talent as foundational, Pengzhou established the first batch of drone training schools in southwest China. These institutions offer certification programs, skills training, and public education. In collaboration with institutions such as the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and the Civil Aviation Flight University of China, the city has built practical training platforms that have already trained over 3,000 skilled professionals nationwide.

Drones are now being deployed across an expanding range of sectors in Pengzhou, including logistics, emergency response, infrastructure inspection, public services, and law enforcement.

In December 2024, villagers in Yaojia village, Pengzhou’s Bailu township received their first “airborne delivery.” An automated drone completed a delivery that previously required 40 minutes by road in just eight minutes. This “sky courier” system has enhanced mail delivery efficiency in mountainous areas by more than 80 percent. So far, Pengzhou has established 50 low-altitude logistics stations in its mountainous regions, with over 6,000 drone delivery flights completed since January 2024.

In emergency rescue scenarios, drones are proving especially valuable. In February, a landslide struck Luping neighborhood in Guihua township. A drone, operating on a preset patrol route, promptly detected the incident. Equipped with thermal imaging and gas sensors, it accurately located trapped individuals. In geological disaster early warning and forest fire prevention, the city’s integrated “air-ground-space” emergency response system has improved hazard detection efficiency by 80 percent.

“There remains significant untapped potential for drone applications. We will continue to deepen our ‘drone-plus’ strategy, expand application scenarios, and vigorously develop the low-altitude economy,” said an official from Pengzhou’s low-altitude economy office.