China starts phase two construction of FAST radio telescope

China's FAST project, a giant radio telescope in the country's south, officially launched construction on its second phase, incorporating an array of movable radio telescopes around the main parabola to enhance the project's astronomical observation capabilities.

Coinciding with the eighth anniversary of the completion of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), the new phase will place 24 smaller telescopes within a diameter of 40 meters around the larger bowl.

This expansion aims to leverage the superior electromagnetic environment that exists within a 5-kilometer radius of the telescope due to the area's remote location and natural topography. It will form a combined aperture array, which is expected to enhance resolution and imaging capabilities.

With the strategic development of the FAST project, Chinese scientists will be capable of launching deeper investigations into various fields such as gravitational wave events, fast radio bursts, supernovae, and black hole tidal disruption events.

FAST, also known as China's "Sky Eye", began formal operation in January 2020 and officially opened for worldwide use on March 31, 2021. It is believed to be the world's most sensitive radio astronomical telescope.

China starts phase two construction of FAST radio telescope

China starts phase two construction of FAST radio telescope

China starts phase two construction of FAST radio telescope

China starts phase two construction of FAST radio telescope

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.

"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.

The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.

Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar