The central division of the 2026 China Universities Aircraft Design Competition concluded on Saturday in Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, where participants demonstrated both innovative thinking and technical expertise.
The three-day event brought together more than 80 institutions, over 330 teams, and more than 1,500 students and faculty members.
The competing aircraft ranged from small rockets to electric gliders.
"Our major is aviation. Participating in this competition deepens our understanding of aircraft and flight principles, and greatly improves our flight control capabilities," said Wang Junzhe, a student from China's Naval Aviation University.
"We started preparing in July, but the design work began as early as April and May. Every university here has its own strengths," said Zhao Keying, a student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The event adopted a comprehensive competition model combining design reports, flight challenges and engineering verification, with an aim to help students translate theoretical knowledge into practical outcomes.
"We have built a great platform for scientific and technological innovation. Our students have gone through the entire process from design and manufacturing to flight testing. This helps broaden their understanding, strengthen their engineering skills, and cultivate talents for our country's aerospace industry," said Yang Zijiang, a teacher at the Naval Aviation University.
Chinese students showcase innovative thinking, technical expertise at aircraft design competition
China has launched a 24-hour English-language hotline for families of those still listed as missing in the devastating mudslide and floods that struck a border zone between the Xizang Autonomous Region of China and neighboring Nepal on August 26, receiving nearly 600 calls in two weeks since its entry into service.
As search and rescue operations enter their third week, Kelsang Chudzong, director of the Protocol and Information Division at the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xizang Autonomous Region, said that the primary concerns of victims' families have somewhat shifted.
"In the early stage, family members of foreigners still listed as missing were mainly concerned about the progress of our search-and-rescue efforts, as well as verification of information about missing relatives and friends. As search and rescue work moves forward, they are more concerned about matters related to DNA sampling," Kelsang said.
The catastrophic flash flood and mudslide triggered by a glacial collapse on the Nepalese side struck the remote China-Nepal border region on Aug 26 morning, causing heavy casualties and leaving thousands of people missing. The hardest-hit Chinese part of the border region lies in Gyirong, Xigaze.
Kelsang also noted that family members were concerned about the procedures for foreign relatives traveling into Xizang, as well as other related follow-up processes.
The hotline has been operational since the end of August. Together with colleagues in Xigaze, the team manning the hotline has taken nearly 600 calls as of Wednesday.
In the past few days, calls from families of people still listed as missing on the Chinese side have gradually decreased. But the team continues to stay by the phone 24/7.
"We listen very patiently to every caller's needs and carefully record every piece of leading information. In the process, we do our utmost to provide emotional support and reassurance to these family members," Kelsang said.
She said that the team has established a "one person, one file" system which lays the groundwork for follow-up tasks, and that the team members will continue to do what they can to contribute to the ongoing relief and rescue work.
Hotline for missing people after deadly Nepal avalanche tops 600 calls
