BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) — The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.

QUEQIAO-2

The combination of the relay satellite Queqiao-2 and the Long March-8 Y3 carrier rocket was vertically transferred on Sunday to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province.

The satellite is projected to be launched at an appropriate time within the next few days, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The combination on a removable launch pad was moved out of the vertical test building of the launching site in the morning, and then safely transported to its launching area.

POLLUTION CONTROL

China plans to build a modern eco-environment monitoring system that it expects will play a significant role in pollution control, pollution treatment, ecological conservation and climate change response.

The new system will raise the bar for the timely collection of authentic, accurate, comprehensive and new data, according to a Saturday press release from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

A monitoring net that leverages satellite, aviation and ground-based remote sensing methods will be established, and digital intelligence will be introduced to upgrade monitoring technologies.

BATTERY MAKER

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL), China’s largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker, posted strong net profit growth of 44 percent in 2023.

Net profit attributable to its shareholders surged to 44.1 billion yuan (about 6.21 billion U.S. dollars) in the period, CATL said in its annual report filed to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Friday.

In 2023, the battery giant generated revenue of 400.9 billion yuan, up 22 percent year on year. It has also invested 18.4 billion yuan in research and development, an increase of 18 percent year on year.