China Science and Technology City International High-tech Expo opens

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The 12th China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City International High-tech Expo is right underway in Mianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, boasting over 1,000 advanced exhibits from global and domestic origins.

Scheduled to run from Wednesdaythrough Sunday, the event is showcasing the latest advancements in technology and the fruitful outcomes of regional innovation collaborations.

Visitors to the exhibition are captivated by the forefront of technological breakthroughs in domains like artificial intelligence, precision instruments, novel displays, and innovative materials.

Of particular interest is a remarkable robotic arm featuring AI tactile sensors, designed to mirror the dexterity and sensitivity of human touch. This innovation enables the robotic arm to execute intricate and stable gripping maneuvers, demonstrating its ability to delicately handle fragile items such as tofu and eggs with unparalleled finesse.

Another standout exhibit is the domestically developed Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tool. Boasting the capability to process six degrees of freedom in a singular operation with precision levels reaching the micron scale. This machine tool finds applications in critical sectors like aerospace, shipbuilding, and precision instrument manufacturing.

Reports indicate that the expo witnessed the signing of 69 high-tech industrial projects on-site, with a cumulative contract value exceeding a staggering 70 billion yuan (about 10 billion U.S. dollars).

China Science and Technology City International High-tech Expo opens

More than 1.413 billion cross-regional passenger trips were estimated nationwide during the first week of China's 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, the country's Ministry of Transport said Sunday.

Average daily cross-provincial passenger trips are expected to exceed 200 million, up 2 percent year on year, according to the ministry.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 17 this year. This year's Spring Festival official holiday lasts nine days, with the travel rush running through March 13.

Each year during this period, millions of people working, studying or living away from their hometowns travel home for the Spring Festival, China's most important traditional holiday.

The country's railway system has seen increasing passenger traffic during the first week of the travel rush. On Sunday, railways nationwide were expected to handle 13.25 million passenger trips, with 1,688 extra passenger trains scheduled to meet travel demand.

Self-driving trips have dominated the total travel, with the road traffic increasing 2.1 percent year on year since the Spring Festival travel rush began.

Civil aviation passenger volumes have also experienced a surge. On Sunday, the country's civil aviation sector was expected to carry 2.39 million passengers on an estimated 19,614 flights, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.5 percent.

Over 1.4 bln trips expected in first week of China’s Spring Festival travel rush