Eye-opening drone displays and dazzling light shows have illuminated the night skies of many Chinese cities so far in the week-long National Day holiday that started on October 1, with a stunning combination of art and technology.
Shenzhen, the country's southern tech hub, is treating residents and tourists to a visual feast presented by more than 10,000 drones at five sites every night during the holiday season.
The magnificent drone fleet constantly change shapes in the air, including the city's landmarks, a flying roc, and a rotating Earth, echoing the theme of the show - "City of Sky, Maybe Shenzhen."
The spectacular drone show has set two new Guinness World Records, including the most multirotor/drones airborne simultaneously from a single computer (outdoors) and the largest aerial image formed by multirotors/drones.
"The shapes the drones formed indeed shocked me. I really feel that our country's scientific and technological power has kept getting stronger," said Shao Wenhao, a tourist.
Impressive drone shows have also been staged over Yancheng City, east China's Jiangsu Province, wowing the spectators. The formation displays a great variety of shapes to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
The Dafeng District of Yancheng City has launched night-tour projects for the annual holiday, including drone performances, float parades, music parties and other themed activities, to provide tourists with a diverse travel experience.
At the Hongyegu (red leaves canyon) scenic spot in Jiaohe city, northeast China's Jilin Province, dazzling rays have lightened up the forest and river.
A variety of three-dimensional projection and LED special effects have been inlaid in the mountains, showing the wonderful fusion of modern lighting art and forest beauty, allowing people to enjoy the dreamy visual display.
To celebrate the 75th birthday of the PRC, the scenic spot has set up a water curtain to show films looking back on the history, and given themed drone shows to convey blessings for the country.
"My strongest feeling here is that I really see power from the combination of art and technology, which has impressed every ordinary people and can be seen in our lives. This is what makes me feel the most surprised and the most proud," said Li Xueqing, a tourist.
Eye-opening drone shows illuminate night skies in China's National Day holiday
Eye-opening drone shows illuminate night skies in China's National Day holiday
Iran has started reviewing a plan on establishing new arrangements and a legal framework for the Strait of Hormuz, said a spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Monday.
At the meeting, a partially reviewed and approved action plan on ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf was placed on the agenda.
Once the committee completes a full review, the plan will be submitted to the Iranian Parliament's plenary session for deliberation.
On Monday, Britain-based maritime analysis firm Wenward said that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has shifted to a dual-channel system, consisting of the northern channel controlled by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a new southern channel along the coast of Oman.
The company's analysis report showed that on April 5, a total of 11 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz, including three entering the strait and eight exiting the strait.
All incoming vessels were oil tankers and outgoing vessels included both oil tankers and cargo ships. Outbound traffic was distributed across the two routes: five vessels passed through the northern channel, and three chose the southern channel, the report said. The report said that the northern channel remains under the control of the IRGC near Larak Island. Meanwhile, the southern channel has formed along the Omani coast, allowing vessels to pass outside the original control zone.
The report suggests that recent changes in strait transit patterns indicate that military control is proceeding in parallel with emerging diplomatic coordination mechanisms.
It said that on April 2, following the opening of the southern channel, three vessels passed through, including two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and one liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier -- the first time an LNG carrier has transited the strait since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on Feb 28.
From April 3 to 5, the number of vessels passing through the southern route was two, four, and three, respectively.
The report said that the pace of development of the shipping route indicates that it has rapidly evolved from limited initial use to a standardized and coordinated navigation route.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate against Israel and U.S. military bases and assets in the Middle East.
As a result of the conflict, the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route, has dropped significantly.
Iranian parliament starts reviewing plan on Strait of Hormuz management
