CMG world robot skills competition starts

The China Media Group (CMG) World Robot Skills Competition is now underway, and is being broadcast globally by CMG from August 4 to 10.

As artificial intelligence and robotics increasingly shape economic development, the competition focuses on real-world use cases for robotics, tracking the transformation of smart technologies into tangible, productive forces.

With an opening ceremony, themed task competitions, and a closing ceremony, the event highlights critical sectors where AI and robotics will play a key role such as public safety, emergency response, industrial manufacturing, and daily life services.

Through hands-on, immersive challenges, the event aims to explore how robots are evolving from lab prototypes to indispensable tools in industry and everyday life.

China is keen to actively engage in exchanges with other countries and explore cooperation opportunities in its manned space program, Yang Liwei, the program's deputy chief designer and China's first astronaut, said Monday on the opening day of the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Türkiye.

The five-day IAC, the world's largest annual space gathering, is being held in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, drawing space leaders, researchers and industry representatives from across the globe under the theme "The World Needs More Space."

This year's agenda ranges from lunar exploration and satellite systems to artificial intelligence, space security and international cooperation, addressing some of the key priorities facing the industry.

Speaking at a forum on China's manned space program, Yang -- who became the first Chinese astronaut in space during the historic Shenzhou-5 mission in October 2003 -- outlined the latest progress of the Tiangong space station and the country's broader spaceflight efforts, stressing greater international cooperation.

"China's space station will serve as an open platform for space science research, available to scientists worldwide for deeper cooperation in research, astronaut training, flight opportunities, science popularization and education," he said.

Yang also noted that preparations are ongoing for a mission which will see the first ever foreign astronaut visit the Tiangong space station, with two Pakistani candidates now undertaking an intensive training program which will see one being selected for the honor.

"The two Pakistani astronaut candidates have performed exceptionally well throughout their training," said Yang.

Turning to country's manned lunar exploration program, Yang said China is pushing ahead with its goal of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030. He said the Long March 10 rocket, the Mengzhou spacecraft, which means 'dream vessel', and the Lanyue lunar lander have all passed key tests.

Looking further ahead, Yang said China welcomes participation from all global partners to share science, data and opportunities so as to jointly explore the unknown.

"We will then carry out lunar scientific research and development, and build a lunar research station. To that end, we very much hope to actively engage with other countries and explore cooperation opportunities," he said.

Organized annually by the International Astronautical Federation, the IAC event serves as a scientific conference, trade fair and diplomatic summit, serving as a major platform for exchanges and discussions on the development of the global space sector.