China has always been a trustworthy and reliable strategic partner for Thailand, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday in Shanghai during a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Anutin is in China to attend the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and on an official visit to China.
"The China-Thailand friendship, which has endured for over a millennium, has only grown stronger with the passage of time. We have treated each other with sincerity and forged a bond of mutual trust, giving rise to the cherished sentiment that 'China and Thailand are one family.' China places the development of China-Thailand relations in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy and has always been a reliable and trustworthy strategic cooperative partner for Thailand. Going forward, both sides should further enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen strategic coordination, and jointly address challenges, so as to accelerate the building of a more stable, prosperous and sustainable China-Thailand community with a shared future to contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region," Xi said.
For his part, Anutin said, "I am honored to be back in China on my first official visit as prime minister. Thailand always views China as an old and reliable friend. We welcome all your four global initiatives because they reflect our commitment to multilateralism and a multilateral world order based on international law. AI will transform our economies and societies. Thailand and China can work together to unlock this new engine of growth."
China always trustworthy, reliable strategic partner for Thailand: Xi
China always trustworthy, reliable strategic partner for Thailand: Xi
China always trustworthy, reliable strategic partner for Thailand: Xi
China's first two-tonne-class tethered balloon entered trial operation in a major power transmission project on Monday, providing a brand-new solution for transportation in power grid construction projects in high-altitude and ecologically sensitive areas, according to the State Grid.
The project is a massive ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission line that will carry clean energy from Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China across thousands of kilometers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China.
At the construction site, a large balloon with a diameter of 25 meters and a volume of 8,000 cubic meters slowly rose into the air.
As multiple mooring lines were simultaneously extended and retracted, the heavy construction materials suspended beneath the balloon were lifted off the ground and moved smoothly along a predetermined route toward the mountainous work site.
"This is our newly developed load-bearing tethered balloon. We have just completed a maximum load test of two tonnes at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Next, we will conduct a hoisting operation for power supply materials over a straight-line distance of 500 meters and a vertical drop of 120 meters," said Qin Jian, researcher at the Transmission and Transformation Engineering Technology Research Institute of the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute.
A heavy-lift tethered balloon involves launching a helium-filled balloon into the air and connecting it to the ground with one or several cables.
By adjusting the cable, the balloon's altitude and horizontal position are controlled to facilitate the transport of materials at high altitudes.
The balloon can travel up to 800 meters and carry a maximum load of two tonnes, with a positional accuracy of within 0.5 meters.
As the construction of new power grids is extending more rapidly into high-altitude, remote mountainous and ecologically sensitive areas, the transportation of materials for transmission projects has become a major challenge constraining construction progress.
Traditional road construction for transportation have long cycles and significant ecological disruption, while drones, though agile and flexible, face limitations in scenarios requiring heavy loads or prolonged continuous transport.
Tethered balloon transport technology effectively overcomes these difficulties.
"The construction section where this technology is applied is located in an uninhabited mountainous area at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. Many tower sites are situated on steep ridges inaccessible by road, making this the section with the highest altitude, most treacherous terrain and most challenging operations in the entire project. The two-tonne tethered balloon is better suited to high-altitude conditions characterized by thin air and strong winds, and its load capacity and stability can better meet transportation requirements," said Feng Tao, project manager of the State Grid Henan Power Transmission and Transformation Company.
China puts first 2-tonne tethered balloon into operation
