China's Long March-2F carrier rocket has all-success mission record since first flight

China's only manned carrier rocket in use currently, the Long March-2F, has an all-success track record of sending Shenzhou spaceships and other spacecraft into space over the past 25 years.

The Long March-2F carrier rocket conducted its first mission on November 20, 1999, successfully sending China's first experimental spaceship, the Shenzhou-1, into space.

This reliable rocket on Wednesday lifted the Shenzhou-19 crew to space, which is the latest progress of China's space program.

The combination of the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket was transferred to the launching area at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 22, to make the final preparation before launching.

The combination was lifted from the assembly and test facility and smoothly transported via a vertical transfer method.

In China, this way of transporting upright or vertically has started with the Long March 2F rocket.

"The 'three-vertical mode' refers to vertical assembly, vertical transport, and vertical launch. The Long March-2F rocket is China's first 'three-vertical mode' rocket. Subsequent rockets such as the Long March-5 and Long March-7, which are currently in service, as well as the future next-generation manned rocket, all use this 'three-vertical' mode," said Ren Xiaowei, an engineer of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Ever since the rollout process, the Long March-2F rocket responsible for the Shenzhou-19 mission has stood tall and straight, its uprightness gets further fine-tuned after propellant loading.

"You can see four green column-like support arms. Their height can be adjusted. Through these, the rocket's verticality can be precisely controlled. Generally, it is adjusted to within one minute (that is within the range of 1/60th of a degree)," said Ren.

About 6.5 hours after launching, the Shenzhou-19 spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination, and the crew, mission commander Cai Xuzhe and astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze entered the space station, where the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission were ready for their arrival.

China's Long March-2F carrier rocket has all-success mission record since first flight

The total value of trade in goods between China and Germany reached 1.51 trillion yuan (around 219.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up 5.2 percent year on year, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China on Wednesday.

Data showed that last year, China's exports to Germany totaled 664.3 billion yuan, while imports from Germany stood at 846.3 billion yuan, suggesting Germany remained China's largest trading partner in Europe, and China reclaimed its spot as Germany's top trading partner after one year.

In 2025, bilateral trade of electromechanical products between the two countries reached 1.07 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.8 percent, accounting for 70.8 percent of the total bilateral trade.

Among them, trade in autos and parts amounted to 131.5 billion yuan, accounting for 12.3 percent of the total trade volume of electromechanical products. Trade in electronic components, computers and their parts, as well as measuring, testing and analytical instruments reached 74 billion yuan, 73.8 billion yuan and 59.8 billion yuan, respectively.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade in pharmaceuticals and medicinal materials and basic organic chemicals totaled 65.7 billion yuan and 18.4 billion yuan, respectively.

Emerging sectors also recorded growth, with bilateral trade in 3D printers and industrial robots reaching 2.6 billion yuan and one billion yuan, respectively.

The data showed that as the world's second and third largest economies, China and Germany have deeply intertwined industrial and supply chains, with economic and trade cooperation benefiting both sides, delivering real gains to businesses and peoples of the two countries.

China-Germany trade hits 1.51 trillion yuan in 2025