China will further promote the application and development of the space station and the manned lunar exploration in 2026, said the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
At present, China's space station is operating steadily and functioning well, while research, development and construction efforts in the lunar landing phase are progressing smoothly with multiple breakthroughs achieved.
Since entering a stage of space station application and development, China has completed six manned space flights, four space cargo replenishments, and seven spacecraft return missions, as well as its first emergency launch mission, the CMSA said.
Six groups of astronauts, with each comprising three members, have stayed in orbit for a long time, and conducted 13 extravehicular activities and multiple payload extravehicular activities.
They have also carried out multiple extravehicular maintenance tasks, and set a new world record for the duration of a single extravehicular activity by astronauts.
China has also completed the selection of the fourth batch of preparatory astronauts, including payload experts from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR), and initiated the development of a low-cost cargo transportation system.
China's space station has so far deployed and implemented 267 scientific and application projects in orbit, covering fields such as space life science and human research, microgravity physics, and new space technologies, according to the CMSA.
The projects have achieved internationally leading outcomes, with some of them having been promoted and applied, significantly promoting the development of China’s space science and applications.
In 2026, China plans to carry out two manned space missions and one space cargo replenishment mission, the CMSA said.
Astronauts from the HKSAR and the Macao SAR are expected to take part in space station missions as early as this year, and one astronaut of the Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a one-year stay test.
To achieve the first crewed lunar landing by 2030, all the research and construction work for the manned lunar exploration program is advanced steadily, the CMSA said.
So far, the development of major facilities for the mission, including the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the Mengzhou manned spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander, has been progressing smoothly.
Meanwhile, a number of major tests on the facilities, such as the low-altitude demonstration and verification of the Long March-10 carrier rocket and the maximum dynamic pressure escape flight of the Mengzhou manned spacecraft, have been completed.
This year, efforts will be made to fully promote the construction of relevant supporting facilities and equipment for the moon landing mission at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, as well as the construction of ground support projects, such as the measurement and control system, the communication system, and the landing site, according to the CMSA.
China to promote space station application, manned lunar exploration in 2026: CMSA
China to promote space station application, manned lunar exploration in 2026: CMSA
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrapped up his first official visit to China on Thursday in Hangzhou City, where he met with business leaders and toured local tech companies, spotlighting business ties and tech cooperation with China.
Merz had arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin a two‑day official visit, before continuing Thursday to Hangzhou with a high‑level business delegation. Around 30 executives from German industry giants including Bayer, Siemens, Adidas, Mercedes‑Benz and BMW accompanied him, demonstrating the centrality of trade and industrial ties.
"In these few days, I've seen new partnerships take shape and long-standing cooperation grow stronger. I leave with deep and lasting impressions of this remarkable country," said Merz.
Merz then toured Chinese robotics company Unitree, where he watched humanoid robots perform kung fu moves and took a look at the core components behind the machines. He also visited the facilities of German industrial giant Siemens Energy, including workshops for high-voltage power equipment.
"Both markets are depending very strongly on each other. German companies are very much invested in the Chinese market. German companies are really part of the Chinese industrial ecosystem, which is super important. On the other side, we want Chinese companies to be part of the German industrial ecosystem as well," said Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens.
"Robotics is part of the future. We work together with tech companies here in the Chinese ecosystem, so this is an opportunity to innovate together. And robotics is one of the most interesting fields. So, I'm looking forward to that," said Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group.
Hangzhou is no longer known only as China's internet hub. The city has been moving rapidly into advanced manufacturing, robotics and hard tech - a transformation that closely mirrors Germany’s push for Industry 4.0 and its drive toward digitalized and green industrial upgrading.
This tech-focused itinerary is widely seen as reflecting Germany's growing recognition of China’s rapid technological progress and strong industrial competitiveness.
"It's a great honor for us. This opens a window for deeper cooperation with German companies and creates a valuable opportunity to jointly promote the global development of intelligent robots," said Wang Xingxing, founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics.
"We lead in digital innovation, new human-computer interaction, and artificial intelligence, while Germany excels in industrial and green manufacturing. That makes the partnership complementary," said Zhu Mingming, founder and CEO of Rokid, a company dedicated to augmented reality and human-computer interaction.
That alignment is one of the key messages behind this visit.
Since the start of this year, both China and Germany have seen a number of major business moves -- from two-way investment to German companies setting up regional headquarters in China and expanding cooperation in research and development.
"I'm impressed. We just saw such a lot of innovation. And the good thing is what we also see. We see good cooperation on all levels of government. And that for us companies, that's very important as both governments want to work together that we have the situation and all the bases that we can do business here," said Andreas Pecher, president and CEO of ZEISS Group.
As China–Germany ties gain increasing global relevance, Merz's China trip is widely viewed as a key step toward enhancing strategic communication, deepening mutual trust, and advancing the all-round strategic partnership between the two countries.
German chancellor concludes China trip with tech firm visits in Hangzhou
