Shenzhou-17 spaceship launch; AI cancer breakthrough, giant panda exhibition: China Quick Take

We’ve put together six of the best stories from China that you may have missed this week…

AI cancer screening breakthrough
A female Chinese doctor has founded a company that uses an automated AI-assisted system to offer cervical cancer screening to tens of millions of women, in a breakthrough that could enhance and speed up the country’s detection and treatment of the disease.  

China started population-based cervical cancer screenings later than most other developed countries and a lack of pathology professionals in rural areas still presents a challenge to screening. But this development in AI technology could ensure all Chinese women have access to vital screening.

China successfully launches Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship 
On Thursday, China successfully launched the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship. Approximately 10 minutes after the launch, the spaceship separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. 

Three Chinese taikonauts, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, have been selected for the mission to the China Space Station (CSS). The trio are the youngest astronaut crew by average age since the launch of the China Space Station construction mission.

Giant panda exhibition in Hangzhou City 
A group of 1,864 paper sculptures of giant pandas are currently on display at the Han Meilin Art Museum in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. The exhibition aims to highlight the plight of wild pandas and raise public awareness about protecting endangered animals and conserving global biodiversity. 

Located inside Hangzhou Botanical Garden, the Han Meilin Art Museum is an art space associated with Han Meilin – a famous Chinese artist. Han was named the UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2015 thanks to his long-term commitment to promoting art and artistic education in China.

U.S. Governor visits Shenzhen electric bus fleet
California Governor Gavin Newsom inspected the Antuo Hill Bus Depot in China’s southern metropolis of Shenzhen. Shenzhen is the first major city in the world to transition to an all-electric bus fleet and taxi fleet, with around 16,000 electric buses. 

Newsom is currently on a week-long visit to China, that included a surprise meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The aim of Newsom’s trip is to push for climate change cooperation between the U.S. and China and learn more about the requirements to support a large electronic fleet.

China issues $136.8 billion in disaster relief bonds 
The Chinese central government will issue one trillion yuan ($136.8 billion) in additional government bonds in the fourth quarter to support the rebuilding of disaster-hit areas. 

The move will increase China’s budget deficit in 2023 to 4.88 trillion yuan. That’s about 3-point-8 percent of its GDP, an increase of point-8 percentage points. China’s finance ministry says the overall risk of the additional deficit is within control. 

Canton Fair enjoys record turnout

The first phase of the 134th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, concluded with an impressive turnout of over 100,000 overseas buyers, marking a growth of over 50 percent compared to the previous edition. 

The event, which will run until Nov. 4, has attracted exhibitors and buyers from across the globe. The first phase of the event witnessed a remarkable presence of over 100,000 buyers from 210 countries and regions. Key industries such as electronics and appliances, daily consumer goods, and hardware tools garnered significant attention from these buyers. 

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