By Wang Hao, People’s Daily

The Yellow River, China’s second-longest river, transports more sediment than any major river in the world. Centuries of silt accumulation have diminished reservoir capacity and elevated its riverbed, creating a “suspended river” that historically threatened downstream regions with flooding.

Since 2002, China has conducted 31 coordinated water-sediment regulation initiatives to ensure the river’s long-term stability. Through multi-reservoir management, over 3.5 billion tons of sediment have been flushed seaward, significantly mitigating the suspended river phenomenon while enhancing flood control and sediment transport capacity.

Central to this system is the Xiaolangdi Reservoir – functioning as both the “control tap” for the middle-lower Yellow River and the “power source” for sediment regulation. At 9 a.m. on Sept. 8, inside a digital twin control center of the Xiaolangdi Multipurpose Dam Project Management Center in central China’s Henan province, massive data streams pulsed on monitoring screens.

“Following a dispatch order to “adjust outflow to 2,500 m³/s,” Engineer Li Xiandong executed operational commands. As sediment-discharge gates lifted, torrents surged downstream, initiating the annual regulation cycle.

“This flow rate releases an Olympic-sized swimming pool’s volume per second – triple the normal discharge,” Li explained. “The powerful current acts like hydraulic brushes, scouring sediment seaward.” Li’s expertise lies in precisely timing gate combinations to optimize this scouring effect. During this year’s operation, 24 gate adjustments following six major commands enabled Xiaolangdi to flush 8.87 million tons of sediment.

Through meticulous water management, a multi-reservoir coordination system now operates across more than 1,000 river kilometers, integrating Xiaolangdi with Sanmenxia and Wanjiazhai reservoirs. This precision engineering has dramatically increased sediment discharge efficiency, alleviating sedimentation burdens throughout the system.

During pre-flood season operations (June 28, 8:00 AM), Xiaolangdi’s outflow peaked at 4,820 m³/s. Concurrently, drones equipped with edge-analysis terminals and dual-spectrum cameras launched automated inspections. “These devices transmit real-time imagery, autonomously identify structural defects, and generate inspection reports,” noted Wang Pengfei, deputy director of the hydraulic engineering department of a company under the Xiaolangdi Multipurpose Dam Project Management Center.

With digital twin technology, an intelligent “mirror” of Xiaolangdi has come to life. More than 2,943 monitoring devices capture precise structural data, while satellites provide full coverage of the 300-square-kilometer reservoir area and 1,300 kilometers of shoreline. In the virtual space, 12 hydrological and engineering models run continuous simulations.

From the dam and reservoir to the river channel and water flow, everything is mapped into the digital twin platform, where virtual and physical systems interact. This enables advanced simulations for sediment flushing, reservoir dispatching, and engineering safety – all tested and refined before real-world implementation.

From Xiaolangdi to the Yellow River section in Jinan and Dongping Lake, the digital twin yellow river project is steadily advancing. More than 550 million data entries have been integrated, bringing the Yellow River into the digital realm.

“We have developed a scientific paradigm of three interconnected models – a prototype Yellow River, a model Yellow River, and a digital twin Yellow River,” said Cao Yongtao, director of the sediment research department at the Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research. “The three systems verify and complement each other, improving forecasting accuracy and refining dispatch plans.” 

Through “micro-Yellow River” experiments and cross-validation among the three systems, the forecast error for flood peak enhancement has been reduced to within 10 percent.

As torrents of water roared downstream during this year’s pre-flood season operation, Lou Guangyan and her team from ecology and environment division the Yellow River institute of water resources protection worked along the river’s monitoring sections, studying the relationship between changes in sediment discharge and aquatic life.

The Yellow River Protection Law, which took effect on April 1, 2023, stipulates in Article 62 that water and sediment regulation shall minimize impacts on aquatic organisms and their habitats.

From 2023 to 2025, Lou’s team has set up 12 monitoring cross-sections between Xiaolangdi and the river mouth, collecting more than 1,300 samples to assess ecological impacts. “In the long run, water and sediment regulation helps stabilize the river’s morphology, improve aquatic habitats, and support biodiversity. Rare species such as the ungeo fish have reappeared,” Lou said.

Data show that since 2008, the structure of plankton communities in the lower Yellow River has remained stable, while the number of fish species in Henan and Shandong provinces has increased by nearly 50. During each operation, water is also released to the Yellow River delta wetland, providing essential support for its restoration and biodiversity enhancement.

The water and sediment regulation of the Yellow River embodies China’s ancient wisdom of water governance combined with modern technological innovation. After more than two decades of practice, this integrated approach has laid a solid foundation for ensuring the river’s long-term stability, while offering valuable experience and insights for the ecological management of major rivers around the world.

By Liu Shiyao, Li Junqiang, People’s Daily

At 11:44 p.m. Beijing time on Oct. 31, the Shenzhou-21 manned spacecraft, aboard a Long March-2F carrier rocket, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, embarking on a journey to China’s space station. 

This marked the 37th flight mission of China’s manned space program and the sixth manned flight mission since the space station entered the application and development phase.

According to Zhang Jingbo, a spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency, the main objectives of the mission are to complete an in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-20 crew, stay in  the space station for about six months, and carry out space science and application tasks. 

The astronauts will perform extraveShicular activities, manage cargo transfers in and out of the modules, install space debris protection devices, and mount and retrieve external payloads and facilities. They will also engage in science education and public outreach activities, as well as conduct space-based experiments to further enhance the comprehensive benefits of the space station’s applications.

During their stay, the Shenzhou-21 crew will undertake 27 new scientific and application projects. These projects will focus on key scientific issues in areas such as space life science and biotechnology, space medicine, space materials science, microgravity fluid physics and combustion, and new spacecraft technologies. 

Notably, the mission will carry out China’s first in-orbit scientific experiment involving rodent mammals. Four mice, two male and two females, have traveled with the spacecraft and will be raised in orbit. The experiment will explore how microgravity and confined space conditions affect behavioral patterns. After returning to Earth, further studies will be conducted to explore how multiple organs and tissues of mice respond and adapt to the stress of the space environment.

The spacecraft also carries experimental payloads related to space applications, including in-situ electrochemical and optical studies of lithium-ion batteries and an on-orbit intelligent computing platform. These projects are expected to provide a scientific foundation for future research and strengthen the station’s long-term application capabilities.

Since its inception, China’s manned space program has adhered to the principles of peaceful use, equality and mutual benefit, and common development. China continues to promote international cooperation by inviting foreign astronauts to participate in missions to its space station, contributing to the progress of space technology and benefiting humanity as a whole.

Following the signing of a cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan in February this year, the selection of Pakistani astronauts for participation in China’s space missions has officially begun. The preliminary selection process is currently under way in Pakistan, while the secondary and final selections will take place in China. 

Upon completion, two Pakistani astronauts will train alongside their Chinese counterparts. One of them will be selected to participate in a short-duration spaceflight mission as a payload specialist and conduct scientific experiments for Pakistan.

Zhang reaffirmed that China is holding firm to its goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2030. He noted that the country’s manned lunar exploration program is progressing smoothly. 

Since the beginning of this year, China has completed several key tests, including the second-stage propulsion system test and the captive firing test for the Long March-10 rocket, the zero-altitude escape test for the Mengzhou spacecraft, and the comprehensive landing and takeoff verification test for the Lanyue lander. 

Upcoming tests will include integrated testing of the lander, thermal and maximum dynamic pressure escape tests of the Mengzhou spacecraft, and low-altitude and technology verification flights of the Long March-10 rocket.

Since the approval of the space station application and development project and the manned lunar exploration program, China has actively adopted a commercial competition model to encourage the participation of private enterprises in spacecraft development and manufacturing. This approach has been applied to projects such as the low-cost cargo transport system for the space station, the crewed lunar rover, and lunar remote-sensing satellites. Contracts for these projects have been signed, and development work is under way. The share of commercial participation in China’s manned space program has increased substantially, accelerating technological progress and yielding increasingly significant results.

Looking ahead, China will continue to expand commercial participation in future projects, including the development of lunar scientific probe platforms and crater-detection platform, to further stimulate innovation and vitality in the country’s commercial space sector.

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will convene in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10. This year’s event will bring together 155 countries, regions, and international organizations, featuring 4,108 overseas enterprises and covering an exhibition area of more than 430,000 square meters – a new record high for both scale and participation. 

Amid profound global economic shifts, the CIIE underscores China’s commitment to stabilizing international trade.

Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping noted that China has maintained its position as the world’s second-largest import market for 16 consecutive years. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the country’s total imports of goods and services are expected to exceed $15 trillion. 

The first seven editions of the CIIE have together generated intended deals worth more than $500 billion, helping enterprises from around the world navigate global market fluctuations and share in the vast opportunities of China’s super-sized market.

This year’s CIIE will feature four distinct highlights.

Commitment to opening-up

The Ministry of Commerce will launch a new initiative under the theme of “Shared Market, Export Opportunities in China,” accompanied by a ceremony inaugurating related events. The China Pavilion at the 8th CIIE will showcase the country’s latest achievements in deepening reform and advancing high-standard opening-up during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Hongqiao International Economic Forum will release The World Openness Report 2025 and the latest World Openness Index.

Showcasing Frontier Innovations 

The expo will debut 461 new products, technologies, and services, highlighting frontier industries such as low-altitude economy and humanoid robotics. New themes including the silver economy, ice-and-snow economy, sports economy, and automotive tourism will be featured, along with new platforms for digital and health consumption, helping expand goods and services consumption and foster emerging consumption trends.

Strengthening Global Collaboration 

A record 4,108 enterprises (up from 3,496 in 2024), including 290 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders, will participate across an expanded exhibition area. Over 600 new exhibitors have joined, with 43 trade missions and over 700 sub-delegations attending for procurement negotiations. Registered professional visitors total 449,500.

Inclusive Global Participation

Enterprises from 123 Belt and Road partner countries will participate in the event, up 23.1 percent from last year. A total of 163 companies from the least developed countries will be present, marking a 23.5 percent increase. The African products section has been expanded, with the number of participating African enterprises up by 80 percent year on year. For the first time, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum will host discussions on enhancing economic resilience  and sustainable agricultural development in the Global South.