China launches new satellites

China launched a group of satellites on Saturday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.

Launched at 18:50 (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-2D carrier rocket, the satellite group, the PIESAT-2 13-16 satellites, entered the preset orbits successfully.

According to the launch center, the launch marks the 668th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.

Chinese enterprises are accelerating their international expansion, rolling out next-generation electric vehicle batteries, autonomous transport, and AI consumer tech across leading European trade exhibitions.

At the ongoing International Motor Show (IAA) Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany, held from September 14 to 20, more than 300 Chinese companies are showcasing their latest offerings.

They have brought not only multiple vehicle models but also technologies and solutions covering power batteries, intelligent driving, and logistics operations.

A leading Chinese battery maker unveiled a new-generation commercial vehicle battery solution, which enables a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers and can charge to 80 percent in just 25 minutes.

"The way we designed the product, the way we designed the battery is basically you can combine the same product in different applications to satisfy your needs without any necessity to have a single development for one model to another one," said Aleksej Kruekov, general manager of Overseas Service for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) at Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL).

As Europe's logistics sector continues to grapple with a shortage of drivers, a Chinese company specializing in L4 autonomous driving has introduced a solution that can operate efficiently around the clock -- no driver required.

"This design is for the last mile of deliveries in an urban environment. That means we can deliver goods from stores to the customers or from wholesaler to stores," said Peter Salzberger, director of Business Development and Marketing for Europe at Neolix.

Chinese companies also have a strong presence in the consumer electronics sector. At the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin in early September, Chinese firms made up nearly half of the more than 1,900 exhibitors.

Additionally, they are working to bring more of their technological capabilities, product strengths, and even entire industrial ecosystems to global markets.

"TV's AIOS is different from the operating systems on phones or cars. A phone or a car serves one person, but a TV's AIOS serves the whole family -- so it needs to understand what everyone in the family needs. We believe a TV's AIOS must be able to perceive, think, communicate, and execute," said Li Wei, president of Hisense Visual Technology Co.