Reference News Network, March 13 report: France's Le Monde website published an article titled "China, the Emerging Superpower in Science" on March 9. Excerpts of the article are as follows:

Sometimes, the mist in the mountainous areas of Guizhou is so thick that some tourists who have come here specifically for sightseeing cannot even see the 500-meter-aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) that spreads among the karst peak forests. This largest spherical radio telescope on the planet - a giant "bowl" with a reflector equivalent to 30 football fields - has become one of the symbols of China's rise as an indispensable scientific power.

The "Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope" is more commonly known in China as the "Chinese Sky Eye," and it is one of the tools that has enabled China to make many discoveries in astronomy. Just a few years ago, China was an insignificant participant in this field. The more than 4,000 triangular active reflectors on the surface of the telescope are supported by a complex network of cables; the 30-ton feed cabin is suspended by six steel cables to adjust the observation angle.

The emergence of the "Chinese Sky Eye" marks a turning point in China's astronomical history. The project began to be planned in the 1990s and officially started construction in 2011. To ensure the telescope's sensitivity and efficiency, the government established core areas and electromagnetic quiet zones around it, with 6,633 villagers relocating from the area. The "Chinese Sky Eye" was completed in 2016 and was put into formal operation after testing in 2020.

China has now made a leap in the field of astronomy. In recent years, the number of papers published by China in top scientific journals in this field has exceeded the total of previous decades. For example, the discovery of pulsars is just such a case. Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars with strong magnetic fields. Since its launch, the "Chinese Sky Eye" has discovered more than 1,170 pulsars, exceeding the total number discovered by other telescopes during the same period. The "Chinese Sky Eye" also enables Chinese researchers to participate in low-frequency gravitational wave research. Additionally, the "Chinese Sky Eye" has discovered a pulsar binary system with an orbital period of only 53 minutes, which is the shortest orbital period pulsar binary system observed to date.

In this province of Guizhou, known for its green mountains and rivers and minority culture that attract tourists, this telescope has become a symbol of national pride. Similarly, the Wenchang Satellite Launch Site in Hainan has also become a source of national pride - in 2024, the Chang'e-6 mission departed from here, marking the first time to bring back rock and lunar soil samples from the far side of the moon.

The era in which China has entered the forefront of science has arrived. Science and technology, along with military strength, diplomatic influence, population and territorial size, and economic scale, are all indicators of a powerful nation. China is eager to achieve this status, with the goal of building a socialist modernized strong country by the middle of this century. These new scientific achievements not only demonstrate China's contribution to global knowledge but also support its independent development amid geopolitical tensions.

More and more international rankings prove that China is achieving this goal. China's strong industrial strength supports its rise in the field of applied technology. Chinese companies, long limited to manufacturing, are now climbing up the value chain.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, out of the 3.7 million patent applications worldwide in 2024, nearly half (1.8 million) came from China.

"In recent years, China's scientific research has shown exponential growth. In many fields, China has ranked among the world's leaders; in other fields, China continues to climb higher," said Professor Wu Dengsheng from Shenzhen University.

In 2021, the "Zhurong" rover, which landed on Mars in China, transmitted the first photos. Researchers at a biotechnology research institute in Tianjin successfully synthesized starch using carbon dioxide. In 2022, China completed the assembly of the independently developed Tiangong space station. In 2023, one of the most advanced nuclear reactors in the world began operation in Shandong. In 2024, China's first deep-sea drilling ship was put into use. This ship, about 180 meters long, can drill as deep as 11,000 meters. (Translated by Pan Geping)

Photo taken on January 16 of the "Chinese Sky Eye" (Xinhua News Agency).

Original: toutiao.com/article/7616567191340728882/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.