China successfully sent its unmanned Shenzhou-22 spaceship into orbit on Tuesday, marking the first emergency launch mission in the country's manned space program, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F Y22 carrier rocket, blasted off at 12:11 Beijing Time (0411 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, sending food, medicine, spare parts and other essential supplies to the Shenzhou-21 astronauts currently on board the Tiangong space station.
Sun Jushun, commander of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, announced the success of the launch mission.
About 20 minutes after the liftoff, the spaceship separated from the rocket and has now entered its designated orbit as it prepares for the docking procedure with the Tiangong space station according to the CMSA.
The spaceship performed a fast, automated rendezvous and docked with the front port of Tiangong's core module Tianhe in about 3.5 hours after entering orbit, the CMSA said.
Tuesday's launch followed the postponed return of the Shenzhou-20 crew aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft on Nov. 14. The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was struck by space debris, delaying its return originally scheduled to take place on Nov 5, according to the agency.
China announces success of Shenzhou-22 emergency space launch mission
China announces success of Shenzhou-22 emergency space launch mission
With enhanced tax refund services and cultural attractions drawing huge crowds, the eastern coastal city of Xiamen is transforming how overseas visitors experience and spend in China.
The May Day holiday peak has passed, but the city's iconic Gulangyu Island is still buzzing with tourists. This UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site unveiled two new cultural landmarks this month: the China Film Music Exhibition Hall, the country's first museum dedicated to Chinese movie music, and the National Art Museum of China's Gulangyu Art Space. Both have quickly gained popularity among international travelers.
"It's my first time coming here, so I love it here. And the atmosphere is good. The art you showed is also perfect," said Rudolph Asase Mensah, a visitor from Ghana.
According to local statistics, Gulangyu has attracted more than 150,000 overseas tourists so far this year, marking an annual growth of over 49 percent. Beyond the exhibitions, the cultural and creative products on display have also drawn keen interest. Decorative fridge magnets featuring the island's historic architecture have become popular souvenirs.
"No one does creative and cultural products in museums as well as China does. And there's a kind of culture of doing that here in China. And I think this is as good as any other place that I've been [to]. It's great to be able to see some memorable items that people can take home from their visits so that they remember [them] into the future," said Rodney Harrison, a British tourist.
To further improve the shopping experience, Xiamen has been upgrading its departure tax refund service for overseas tourists since the start of the year. To date, the city has certified 151 tax refund stores, 71 of which offer the "refund upon purchase" service. These stores are located across major commercial districts and popular tourist neighborhoods, allowing overseas visitors to process tax refunds easily.
In the first four months of this year, the number of international tourists making purchases at Xiamen's departure tax refund stores surged over 560 percent year on year. Total sales grew by 66.8 percent, while the amount of tax refunds increased by nearly 100 percent.
"It's a good policy that brings convenience to tourists," said Bekdurdy, a traveler from Turkmenistan.
"Probably I will visit those shops and buy some gifts for my home country, also for my family and my friends," said Hassan Nawa from Pakistan.
Int'l tourists flock to Xiamen as shopping experience improves
