BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.
"LOONG" YEAR TECH ACHIEVEMENTS
As the Chinese people were exchanging their wishes for a prosperous Year of the Loong, an array of machines bearing the name of this zodiac animal were also capturing public attention due to their exceptional performances and encouraging prospects.
The loong, also known as the Chinese dragon, epitomizes resilience, dynamism, and vitality within Chinese culture. People in China commonly refer to this mythical creature as "long," phonetically transcribing the corresponding Chinese character.
Some spacecraft, aircraft, and watercraft that include references to "long" have been under the spotlight since the lunar new year. People hold high hopes for them to embark on even more remarkable endeavors and continue to achieve greater feats in the new year.
MANNED LUNAR EXPLORATION VEHICLES
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Saturday unveiled the names of the new vehicles for future manned lunar exploration missions.
The new manned spacecraft is named Mengzhou, meaning dream vessel, which reflects the fact that the manned lunar exploration carries the Chinese people's space dream and opens a new journey of space adventure, according to the CMSA.
The lunar lander is named Lanyue, meaning embracing the moon, a term that appeared in a poem written by the late Chairman Mao Zedong. The word symbolizes the Chinese people's confidence in exploring the universe, said the agency.
HIGH-END NEV
China's luxury new energy vehicles (NEVs) market remains a blue-ocean market to be tapped as continuous consumption upgrading boosts consumers' preference for more high-end driving experiences, according to a veteran luxury automobile maker.
"Although the luxury NEV market has a comparatively small size, its growth rate is quite encouraging," said Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Technology Inc. (Lotus Tech).
China is the world's largest NEV market in terms of sales and production. Some 830,000 luxury battery electric vehicles (BEV) were sold in China in 2023, up 60 percent year on year, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed. ■
