China launched its first remote-sensing satellite in the power industry specifically designed to monitor and maintain its power grid on Wednesday, a move expected to enhance the safety and efficiency of electricity transmission across the country.
The satellite, coded Jixing High-Resolution 07D01, was sent into orbit by a carrier rocket which blasted off at 12:03 local time from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
With a spatial resolution better than 0.5 meters, this satellite enables precise monitoring of the structural conditions of power grid equipment, such as transmission lines and pylons.
The satellite supports diverse applications, from managing ultra-high voltage (UHV) projects and assessing environmental impacts in transmission networks, to inspecting critical power corridors, issuing disaster warnings and evaluating post-disaster damage.
"Once the satellite is operational, it can be applied to 19 categories of scenarios in the future, supporting the construction of major ultra-high-voltage projects such as those transmitting hydropower from southwest China, environmental and water conservation monitoring, survey and design evaluation, as well as intelligent inspection throughout the entire lifecycle of transmission lines, along with disaster prevention and mitigation," said Yang Zhi, director of the power engineering satellite application center of the institute.
The satellite can perform continuous east-west strip observations, covering over 200 kilometers of transmission corridor in a single pass, according to the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute, one of its designers.
"This satellite improves the precision of transmission line surveys and inspections by approximately fivefold. For corridor monitoring and disaster prediction and warning, it can be seven times more efficient. Particularly for east-west oriented corridors, which this satellite is designed to monitor, it will significantly elevate the grid's emergency response capabilities and survey-and-design proficiency," said Liu Qianwei, president of the institute.
Looking ahead, China plans to launch 15 to 20 more power grid monitoring satellites during the 2026–2030 period, building a comprehensive system that leverages satellite technology to modernize and secure the country's electricity infrastructure.
China launches first remote-sensing satellite monitoring power grid
Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya's consistent provocations on Taiwan-related issues have severely violated the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, and China's countermeasures is a just act against the "new militarism" ideology, a scholar on China-Japan relations said in Beijing on Tuesday.
China on Monday announced countermeasures against Keiji Furuya, member of Japan's House of Representatives, for his collusion with Taiwan secessionist forces and other egregious moves, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. The punitive countermeasures against Furuya are a means of deterrence and warning, and China will also take other necessary punitive measures in light of the situation, according to Mao.
Furuya has made a number of sneaky visits to China's Taiwan region, and at a forum there on March 16, he provocatively declared "Japan's determination to protect Taiwan" and even claimed that "changes in Taiwan cannot be allowed to happen."
In an interview with China Central Television on Tuesday, Meng Xiaoxu, a research fellow at the Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Furuya's moves are a direct challenge to established diplomatic norms.
"The speech he made in Taiwan was actually to defend [Japanese Prime Minister Sanae] Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan. He also mentioned the issue of so-called 'military exchanges' between Japan and Taiwan, which apparently goes against the basic consensus on the one-China principle in China-Japan relations," said Meng.
Furuya has served as the chairman of the Japanese Diet Members' Consultative Council with Taiwan since 2018, an organization known for its strong pro-Taiwan secession leanings.
"This council was actually an organization set up in 1973 by some pro-Taiwan elements in Japan after the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations in 1972. Its main purpose was to maintain contact with Taiwan secessionists through alternative channels. Especially after Keiji Furuya became its chairman, the frequency and scale of the organization's visits to Taiwan have exceeded historical levels," said Meng.
Furuya is widely regarded as one of Sanae Takaichi's core aides. Last October, he was appointed chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Election Strategy Committee, responsible for election strategy affairs. Throughout his political career, Furuya has also repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A World War II criminals.
"Keiji Furuya frequently visits the Yasukuni Shrine, and when he visits the Yasukuni Shrine, he never forgets to mention the Taiwan issue. In fact, he is Takaichi's spokesperson and major promoter on the Taiwan issue. He represents Japan's far-right-wing forces, the idea of 'using Taiwan to contain China' is deeply rooted in his mind. We indeed should take resolute measures to counter it. A major reason for the current downturn in China-Japan relations is Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan, and Japan's current collusion with Taiwan, who not only collude but also make provocations. It is Japan that has deviated from the political foundation of China-Japan relations and continuously provoked China's national interests. The historical revisionism led by the Japanese government is getting rampant throughout the country, leading to the current prevalence of 'new militarism' ideology, which is very dangerous," said Meng.
Chinese scholar justifies countermeasures against Japanese lawmaker
Chinese scholar justifies countermeasures against Japanese lawmaker
