China firmly opposes sanctions imposed by the US against certain Chinese entities and individuals with alleged involvement in Iran's development of drones and military aircraft, and it will take the necessary measures to resolutely defend its legitimate rights and interests, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday.

Washington's abuse of unilateral sanctions and the practice of "long-arm jurisdiction" disrupts the international trade order and rules, obstructs normal economic and trade exchanges among nations, and harms the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and individuals, the spokesperson said in a statement on the MOFCOM's website.

The US side should immediately cease its unjust suppression of Chinese enterprises and individuals, the spokesperson urged.

China will take the necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the spokesperson said.

On September 19, the US Treasury Department said it would sanction seven individuals and four entities from Iran, Russia, China and Turkey on the grounds of so-called "connection" with Tehran's drone and military aircraft development.

The sanctions deny the people and firms access to any property or financial assets held in the US and prevent US companies and citizens from doing business with them, according to the department.

In March, the US sanctioned five Chinese companies and one individual on groundless allegations they had links with Iran.

The US' extension of jurisdiction to companies registered in China goes against the principles of international norms, Tu Xinquan, dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"It is unreasonable for a country to impose administrative measures on entities outside its own jurisdiction," Tu said.

In the latest case of long-arm jurisdiction by the US, the Biden administration on Monday imposed new trade restrictions on 11 Chinese, five Russian companies, five Pakistani companies, along with others located in Finland, Oman, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, accusing some of supplying components to make drones linked with the Ukraine crisis, according to a document released by the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security on Monday.

The trade blacklist will make it harder for US suppliers to ship technology to companies on the list.

Tu said that Washington's abuse of state power and technological hegemony to impose sanctions on Chinese companies and hinder their development is becoming increasingly normalized. Yet such sanctions and containment will not restrict the development of Chinese companies, as Huawei is a prime example.

Huawei launched new products ranging from smart screens, the MatePad and watches to the new Harmony OS NEXT system at a highly anticipated event in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province on Monday, making a high-profile comeback to the market amid a reported chip breakthrough and years-long US sanctions.

"The sanctions will only enhance China's resolve and capabilities for technology self-reliance and innovation," Tu noted.

American automaker Ford said on Monday it's pausing construction of a $3.5 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in the US state of Michigan until it is confident it can run the factory competitively, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Although the US government is flexing all of its policy muscles available to suppress China's high-tech industry, US competitiveness in cutting-edge technologies has continued to decline as a result of multiple factors.

Ford's decision comes as the company is in the midst of national contract talks with the United Auto Workers union, which wants to represent workers at battery factories and win them top wages, according to the AP report. Intense competition among global EV manufacturers has unsettled the US automotive industry, which had been a pillar of the US economy, as US automakers are under pressure both at home and abroad. 

On the one hand, competition from international competitors, including Chinese EV makers, poses a challenge to American firms, especially as Chinese companies have accumulated technological and price advantages against the backdrop of fierce competition in the Chinese domestic market. 

On the other hand, deep-seated problems in the US economy, including insufficient labor protection and the widening wealth gap, have erupted in a concentrated manner. The car industry, like other manufacturing industries in the US, is facing increased pressure due to rising production costs.

As reported by the AP in March, Ford's EV business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years. If the US automaker wants to catch up with rivals amid intense international competition, one option for Ford is to collaborate with top Chinese companies. 

Ford in February announced plans to build the plant in Michigan, betting that making the batteries in the US would help it and Chinese partner CATL attract US customers to embrace a lower-cost technology pioneered in China, according to Reuters. Honestly speaking, Ford's cooperation with CATL benefits the development of the US EV industry. However, the sector's survival opportunities are being stifled by politicians in Washington. Republicans in Congress have been probing Ford's battery plant plan over concerns it could leave Ford dependent on Chinese technology. 

As reported by Reuters, Rep. Mike Gallagher said lawmakers were "encouraged to see Ford take a crucial first step to reevaluate its deal" with CATL. "Now, Ford needs to call off this deal for good," he added.

Not only in the EV industry, but also in most high-tech and cutting-edge industries, some people in the US possess an extremely unhealthy and unfair zero-sum competition mentality toward China. However, it is evident that this thinking is counterproductive in promoting the development of domestic US industries.

Apart from Tesla, other American vehicle companies still have a relatively low share in the domestic and international EV markets. Although the US government has devised protectionist measures such as the Inflation Reduction Act, it is still moving slowly in terms of addressing domestic supply chain issues, particularly in the production of batteries.

Washington is working toward a zero-sum competition with China, with American firms serving as victims. What Chinese enterprises need to do is to confront external challenges, continuously enhance their competitiveness, strengthen technological innovation, seize the opportunities created by Washington's zero-sum competition mentality - which has caused difficulties for American enterprises - and continuously strengthen themselves.

China is becoming increasingly competitive in EV manufacturing capacity and technology innovation. Chinese EV brands, such as BYD and NIO, have made significant strides in developing advanced EV technologies, including battery technology and autonomous driving features. 

China holds a superior position in the EV supply chain, with about three-quarters of the world's battery production capacity. Moreover, China houses more than half of the world's processing and refining capacity for lithium, cobalt and graphite, which are essential materials for making EV batteries. 

The West's narrow-minded, zero-sum game mentality has indeed put some pressure on China in the short term, but it cannot fundamentally hinder technological progress. If the US always opts for dirty tricks against China instead of learning how to conduct healthy competition with Chinese enterprises and develop its own economic competitiveness, this will just lead to a larger gap between China and the US.

Chinese tourists are eagerly embarking on their holidays ahead of an unprecedented Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays period, set to commence this Friday. The atmosphere is buzzing with excitement and anticipation, as China gears up for a bustling and vibrant holiday season, which experts said is poised to accelerate China's economic growth in the fourth quarter.

China's railway and highway systems are bracing themselves for an influx of travelers, anticipating record-breaking traffic.

China Railway Shanghai Group Co said the Yangtze River Delta railway has facilitated over 2.5 million passenger trips on Wednesday, the first day of the Golden Week travel rush, a growth of 25 percent compared to the same period in 2019 and expected number of the railway trips to climb to 3 million on Thursday. The national railway is expected to complete 190 million passengers trips during the travel rush.

For road traffic, the Ministry of Transport expected that the number of vehicles hitting the road will reach 66 million on Friday, another record-breaking number.

Meanwhile, scenic spots are preparing for an overwhelming surge in visitors, as the eight-day Golden Week holidays promise to attract an unprecedented number of tourists.

Multiple cities are expected to see record-high tourist arrivals. Beijing is projected to receive 12.83 million tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 60.8 percent and a 21.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019. Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province expects to welcome over 25 million visits during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, setting a new record for tourist arrivals for Golden Week.

Additionally, the pre-sale box office for the Golden Week holidays has surpassed an impressive 50 million yuan ($6.84 million) threshold as of Thursday morning, showcasing the immense consumption potential of this festive period.

Experts believed that the record-breaking holiday will be a strong proof of China's economic momentum and a significant turning point for consumption.

Wei Jianguo, a former Chinese vice minister of commerce and executive deputy director of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges noted that development of China's economy in 2023 will be a process of wave-like development. He said that the GDP growth in the third quarter could reach around 5 percent, predicting the consumption and economic growth to further accelerate in the fourth quarter.

"I am confident in the development of China's economy and believe that there will be no problem in achieving the growth target of around 5 percent for the year," Wei said.

The EU announced on Wednesday a formal anti-subsidy investigation into China-made electric vehicles (EVs). Analysts said that the probe could escalate into a discriminative "trade war against China's EV industry."

The rise of China's EVs has sparked unease within the EU, as China's competitiveness in the new automobile industry has constantly strengthened, an industry insider told the Global Times on Friday, on condition of anonymity.

"It is worth noting that the investigation was initiated in the absence of a written complaint from the industry in Europe. In other words, it could be seen as a potential trade war initiated by the EU," the insider said.

In recent years, China's EV industry has seen rapid development thanks to its unremitting technological innovation and building up of a complete industrial and supply chain. Chinese EVs have found favor among consumers, including those in Europe.

According to auto consultancy Inovev, 8 percent of new EVs sold in Europe as of September 2023 were imported from China, up from 6 percent in 2022 and 4 percent in 2021.

In 2022, Chinese automakers exported 545,244 new-energy vehicles (NEVs) to Europe, accounting for 48.66 percent of all NEV exports, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed.

According to CleanTechnica, 15 of the world's top 20 best-selling EVs in July were China-made.

The EU's anti-subsidy probe into Chinese NEVs is based on subjective assumptions, lacks sufficient evidence and goes against WTO rules, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday, responding to the EU decision to conduct the probe.

"We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the EU decision," the MOFCOM said in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday.

The EU requires negotiations with the Chinese side under extremely short notice and fails to provide effective materials for negotiation, which has seriously infringed on China's rights, according to the MOFCOM.

China urged the EU to exert caution in applying trade remedy measures, considering the big picture of maintaining the stability of global industrial and supply chains and the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, the ministry said.

"The EU should encourage deepened cooperation in the new-energy industry, which has NEVs as one of its spearheads, and create a fair, non-discriminatory and predictable market environment for the common development of the China-EU EV industry," the MOFCOM said.

The EU's probe was opposed by the German government and the business community there. German Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissing in September rejected possible punitive tariffs as a result of the European Commission's (EC) investigation into Chinese EV industry, according to German newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine.

On September 20, the German Handelsblatt published an article saying that EC President Ursula Von der Leyen's China policy is losing support and her tough stance is intended to win the approval of the US. Such a move would have a negative impact on German auto companies.

China's Shenzhou-14 crew, who have stayed at China's space station for half a year, have completed all the assigned tasks and will return to Earth in the coming days, the Global Times learned from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province on Friday.

The Shenzhou-14 spacecraft will land at night at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Global Times learned. The site conducted the last full-system integrated exercise for its search and rescue mission on Thursday.

The drill on Thursday further tested the site's organizational and implementation capabilities for spacecraft search and rescue missions. Currently, all special working groups at the landing site are ready to receive the return of Shenzhou-14.

Shenzhou-14 is the last mission of the three-step development strategy of China's manned space project, as well as the final episode of the construction stage of the China Space Station.

The fact that they will return at night time involves higher requirements for on-site rescue and risk prevention, the Global Times learned, as it would be more difficult to locate and reach the ship at night.

To prepare for the successful completion of the return, the landing site worked on a situation with the maximum of hardship, complexity, coldness and darkness, and made various plans for spacecraft tracking, return capsule recovery, and on-site rescue for astronauts.

A number of materials have been prepared including lighting and winter supplies. Training for extreme situations has also been carried out to ensure they can handle any kind of emergency during the process.

Early on Wednesday morning, six taikonauts of the Shenzhou-14 and -15 missions had their historic gathering in the China Space Station, marking a first in China's aerospace history, after the Shenzhou-15 manned spacecraft was launched on Tuesday night.

The new faces of Shenzhou-15 will conduct a direct handover in orbit with their predecessors, which will take about five days, during which the Shenzhou-14 crew members will mainly prepare for their return to Earth, while the Shenzhou-15 crew will focus on setting up the space station's working status, adapting to the space environment and concluding the handover.

Sitting atop a Long March-2F Y14 carrier rocket and carrying Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe - the third crew to enter China's Tianhe space station core module - Shenzhou-14 was launched on June 5 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Six months later, the Shenzhou-14 members have achieved a number of firsts, including the first in-orbit docking of two 20-ton space modules, the first time taikonauts entered the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, and the first two-hour fast autonomous docking of a cargo spaceship.

According to Ji Qiming, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency, they have completed a variety of tasks. The crew coordinated with the ground to finish building the basic structure of the T-shaped space station. They have also undergone nine combo configurations, five rendezvous and docking maneuvers, two separations, and two translocation missions.

The Shenzhou-14 crew have also managed a large number of platform tests, as well as equipment maintenance and other tasks onboard the space station. They completed the unlocking and installation of experiment cabinets in two lab modules, and carried out a number of scientific and technical experiments as well as one "Tiangong classroom" space lecture.

In another ambitious step toward becoming a strong space power in the world, China will fully kick off the research and development of its Phase-4 lunar research project and planetary exploration project, as well as the development of the Chang'e-7 and Tianwen-2 probes, deputies of the national legislature political advisors from the space sector told the Global Times on Sunday during the ongoing two sessions. 

More than 60 launches are scheduled for the Long March carrier rocket series in 2023, and another major rocket family for commercial spaceflights - the Kuaizhou - will also have a tight schedule with 8-10 launches expected this year, the Global Times has learned from Feng Jiehong, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and head of Aerospace Sanjiang, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.

The new-generation manned launch vehicle is set to make its maiden flight by 2027, while the new super heavy-lift carrier rocket - the Long March-9 - will debut around 2030, the Global Times has learned. 

Following the completion of its basic structure assembly, the China Space Station has entered normal operations mode and will welcome onboard the Xuntian space telescope before 2026, a task to be undertaken by a Long March-5B carrier rocket, Rong Yi, chief designer for the Long March-2F launch vehicle and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, told the Global Times. 

As for commercial spaceflight in China, market demand has been growing rapidly in recent years. According to an Iresearch survey, China has announced 12 plans for small satellite constellation networks in the next five to 10 years, which will comprise more than 2,200 satellites. They are mainly remote sensing and communication satellites. 

If 8-10 satellites are released each launch, it will take nearly 300 missions to complete the task. 

In addition to the Jielong-3 solid-propellant rocket, the Long March-2C and Long March-11 will undertake international commercial spaceflight missions, Wang Xiaojun, head of the state-owned China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told the Global Times. 

Wang revealed that China is developing a next-generation manned launch vehicle that will meet the long-term strategic need for manned lunar exploration. It will be capable of sending payloads of 70 tons into near-Earth orbit, and is expected to make its maiden flight by 2027.

It will be used to send a lunar surface lander and lunar landing spacecraft to the Lunar Transfer Orbit (LTO) using liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants, capable of carrying payloads of no less than 27 tons to the LTO. 

It will serve as an important strategic support to realize China's manned landing on the moon by 2030. 

Rong disclosed that a new-generation manned spacecraft and a moon lander are being developed. The spacecraft will be able to accommodate three astronauts to the LTO and return them to Earth, while the lander could allow two people to carry out scientific experiments on the lunar surface. 

The Earth-Moon space has become a new territory of manned activities in space for its rich material resources and unique environmental resources, which could become a new pillar of the national economy in the future as well as the "best sample" for studying the origin and evolution of the Earth. 

Yang Mengfei, chief engineer of the Chang'e-5 probe and member of the CPPCC National Committee, proposed at this year's two sessions that China should grasp this opportunity and build Earth-Moon space infrastructure to utilize those resources, which China has already has the ability to do. 

The new model super heavy-lift carrier rocket - the Long March-9 - is also under development. It will be a 10-meter-diameter, three-stage mega rocket with a height of 110 meters, capable of sending payloads of 150 tons into near-Earth orbit, 50 tons into the LTO and 35 tons to the Mars Transfer Orbit. The first flight of the Long March-9 vehicle can be expected around 2030.

In this year's government report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the first session of the 14th NPC on Sunday, Li elaborated on the fruitful achievements made in scientific and technological innovation in the past years including in areas of manned spaceflight, lunar and Martian exploration, and satellite navigation. 

Since the historic Shenzhou-8 mission in 2011, China's space refrigerators have soared beyond Earth to become an integral part of the country's manned space missions. This groundbreaking achievement shattered the long-time technological monopoly held by foreign nations, positioning China as the third country, following the US and Russia, to master the core technology of space refrigeration.

In an industrial park in Foshan, South China's Guangdong Province, the local government has harnessed cutting-edge aerospace technology to propel the development of intelligent medical refrigerators and cold-chain logistics, which has become a new engine driving economic growth in the region.

Specifically designed for space

What's special about refrigerators used in space is they're specifically designed for the space environment, allowing them to serve unique purposes compared to household refrigerators.

Given the highly specialized nature of the space environment, space refrigerators boast unparalleled performance that set them apart from traditional household models. In the microgravity environment of space where objects float, stability and convenient access must be ensured, analysts noted.

For one thing, manned space missions demand exceptional precision down to the gram, and that requires space refrigerators to be much lighter than household ones. Moreover, during the rocket launch phase, the Shenzhou spacecraft is subject to various extreme challenges such as vibrations, impacts, and noise, necessitating space refrigerators to be more stable and possess stronger structural integrity capable of withstanding momentary maximum accelerations of 12g for vibrations and 500g for impacts. This is equivalent to space refrigerators enduring instantaneous impacts 500 times their own weight.

Additionally, taikonauts in space need to handle multiple tasks at the same time. To lighten their workload, space refrigerators need to incorporate Internet of Things technology, so that taikonauts can control power on/off, temperature settings, and other operations using a handheld terminal similar to a PAD, a solution not even present at the International Space Station.

Combining these designs in medical coolers and cold-chain logistics, the local government of Foshan city's Nanhai District has successfully developed a series of technologies for multi-usage refrigerators as part of the "National Major Instrument Development Project," including low-power, high-efficiency refrigeration, high-density phase-change energy storage, intelligent temperature control, temperature distribution, and cold storage and insulation under extreme conditions.

The technology transfer of "space refrigerators" has demonstrated its effectiveness in Guangdong Province, aiding in addressing issues related to the last-mile delivery, monitoring, and management of vaccines and food transportation, the Global Times learned from the project manager.

Outstanding benefits

According to the smart cold storage system developer Genshu (Guangdong) Technology Co., Ltd., traditional cold storage facilities have a number of drawbacks such as high costs for energy, difficulty in maintaining a constant temperature, and the need for multiple transfers between warehouses during transportation due to their large sizes. In contrast, the smart cold storage system offers several benefits.

By leveraging intelligent manufacturing and aerospace technology, this system provides an innovative and advanced solution for cold-chain logistics for medical supplies such as vaccine.

For one thing, it allows for flexible sizing according to specific needs and eliminates the need for on-site construction. The system also offers significant cost savings compared to building and maintaining large cold storage facilities, Deng Yulin, founder of the company who is also a professor in the School of Life Sciences at the Beijing Institute of Technology and member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), told the Global Times.

Each compartment of the refrigerator is equipped with information pallets that record all necessary data, including the items in store, temperatures and quantities, making it easier for transportation personnel to track and manage goods, Deng said.

Cloud monitoring further enhances control and transparency by providing real-time information about the location, handling, and opening of the containers.

Another key advantage of the system is the ability to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the transportation process.

Space materials are also used for weight reduction in the cold storage devices, meanwhile ensuring that different locations within the device can maintain the same desired temperature with minimal variation. "The technologies we have applied on these cold-chain storage units are even more advanced than those we use in space, as they have been remodeled to suit ground conditions," Deng told the Global Times.