The Dongfeng Landing Site in Inner Mongolia's Gobi desert in north China is ready now for the return of Shenzhou-17 crew from the Chinese space station.
The Shenzhou-17 crew is scheduled to land there on April 30 after staying in space for six months, and the landing site on Friday organized the last comprehensive system-wide exercise for the anticipated return.
During the exercise, more than 10 search and rescue groups, five helicopters and nearly 100 vehicles with different functions headed for their positions in the early hours for the final drills.
After receiving the landing forecast, the air team of Shenzhou-17 searching and retrieving mission reached the simulated landing site immediately to ensure mission was carried out accurately, efficiently and safely.
""Based on the recent exercises we have participated in, the tactical and technical capacities of our personnel have improved. The performance of our equipment has been effectively tested. The coordination between the five helicopters has been further improved, and the landing locations are also more precise,”said Wang Yifan, a member of the air team.
"The comprehensive system-wide exercise we had today focuses on health monitoring and care inside and next to the returned capsule, as well as in the medical vehicle. It's a joint training involving all the procedures, all elements and all positions. We have reached our set targets through this exercise and verification,”said Xu Chong, an official with the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Dongfeng landing site ready for Shenzhou-17 crew's return
China's decision to extend visa exemption entry for citizens from 12 countries, including France, Germany, and Italy, for short-term visits until the end of 2025 has been warmly welcomed by Germans from all walks of life.
They believe this extension will further enhance economic and trade cooperation, as well as foster understanding and friendship between the two sides.
In the media field, people view China as a significant trade partner and investment destination. They believe that this measure will further encourage German companies to actively engage in the Chinese market, providing more opportunities for mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
"I am not alone. Businesspeople in Germany and other countries warmly welcome the extension of the visa-free policy, as it simplifies related procedures and makes our plans more flexible. This is good news that we have been waiting for, as we can now plan ahead for 2025," said Guntram, a media practitioner.
Some German personages held that China's speedy tourism recovery has injected powerful confidence and impetus into global tourism revitalization. The enforcement of a series of measures in tourism reflects China's enthusiastic welcome to international tourists.
"I am very happy about China's visa-free policy for Germans. It provides a strong impetus to German tourism. Both travel agencies and airlines welcome China's visa-free policy. We are eager to explore more of China's tourism opportunities. Germany boasts unlimited potential in this regard. I believe that every German should visit China at least once in their lifetime," said Mayer, manager of a German public relations agency.
"We have seen a large number of tourists booking two-week trips to China. Therefore, this visa-free policy is extremely successful. I hope more Germans and Europeans will visit China and gain an understanding of this diverse and charming country, as many of them lack knowledge about it," said Bohlander, manager of a German tourism company.
People across Germany happy with China's extension of visa-free policy
