Local authorities in Liaoning Province in the northeast and Shanxi Province in the north swiftly reacted to clear snow and ice after heavy snow disrupted road traffic on Friday.
In Shenyang, provincial capital of Liaoning, the first snow of 2026 began to fall at 17:00 on Friday. As of early Saturday, average snow accumulation in the city reached about 3.4 millimeters deep. Road maintenance workers were dispatched immediately, with snowplows working through the night to clear major roads.
To minimize disruption, the Shenyang snow removal command issued a yellow alert for heavy snow on Friday afternoon. Manpower and machines were deployed to clear snow. As of Saturday morning, the snow had stopped in Shenyang, and traffic on main roads and bridges was back to normal.
In Shanxi Province, strong winds and snow affected areas including Datong and Shuozhou on Friday afternoon, causing snow accumulation on several expressway sections.
Local transport departments carried out de-icing operations and increased road patrols to remind drivers to travel safely. Some heavily snow-covered road sections were temporarily closed.
As of 10:00 Saturday, several expressway entrances in Shanxi remained closed to certain types of vehicles, including vans with more than seven seats and trucks carrying hazardous materials.
Snow disrupts traffic in Liaoning, Shanxi
The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is emerging as a key engine for China's fast-growing low-altitude economy by leveraging its dense industrial networks, efficient logistics systems, and rapid innovation capacity.
From logistics and manufacturing to urban services, the region is building an integrated industrial chain that allows low-altitude industries to scale up at unprecedented speed, thus turning drone-based applications from isolated trials into large-scale, commercial operations.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, calls for the cultivation of new pillar industries and the accelerated development of strategic emerging industrial clusters, including the low-altitude economy.
At a drone operations center in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City in south China's Guangdong Province, a dozen logistics drones take off and land within minutes. Urgently needed production parts, documents, and small parcels are dispatched from here to cities in the province including Dongguan, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai.
Behind these high-flying aircraft lies what observers describe as an "invisible industrial chain", built on speed and efficiency.
"Look at this aircraft. About 90 percent of its components come from nearby areas. Relying on Shenzhen's strong logistics capabilities and its complete supply chain, these parts can be delivered to our factory within half an hour for assembly, processing, and production," said Li Kunhuang, person-in-charge of Shenzhen GODO Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
Once a new product is unveiled, testing and calibration begin immediately at the drone testing field. As soon as the process is completed, the new models can be put into real-world operation, realizing almost “zero delay” from research and development to application.
Supported by a robust industrial chain, low-altitude routes in Shenzhen are effectively connecting the urban landscape. From its Bao'an District to Songshan Lake in Dongguan City, production components can be delivered within one hour. Supplies are transported between Zhuhai City's Xiangzhou Port to Dong'ao Island in just 25 minutes. And light industrial goods can travel round-trip within a single day between Guzhen Town in Zhongshan City and Xinhui District in Jiangmen City.
More low-altitude application scenarios are expected to be implemented in the near future.
In Qianhai District, Shenzhen is accelerating the construction of a pilot demonstration zone of low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub.
"We have built the country's first low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub, and are gradually developing a pilot flight zone that integrates multiple scenarios such as inspection, logistics, and cultural tourism. This will provide technical support for the next step of commercializing cross-border logistics and emergency rescue services across the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area," said Wu Xuemin, head of the Shenzhen Qianhai Low-Altitude Integrated Three-Dimensional Transportation Hub Pilot Demonstration Zone.
Integrated supply chains propel Greater Bay Area's low-altitude economy growth
