China’s rare earths breakthrough, Fujian carrier’s naval genius: SCMP’s 7 highlights
From a viral incident at the recent Asean summit to a Chinese guest flooding a hotel room, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting
1. In world first, Chinese scientists find rare earth minerals from a living plant
A Chinese-led team of scientists says it has found a naturally formed mineral with rare earth elements in a fern, a world first that offers a “green circular model” for extracting high-value rare earths, according to an institution behind the study. The researchers said the discovery of nanoscale monazite in a living plant “opens new possibilities for the direct recovery of functional rare earth element materials”.
2. Beijing vows to strike back if Japan uses military force in Taiwan Strait
Beijing has warned that any Japanese military involvement in the Taiwan Strait would be regarded as “an act of aggression” and vowed to strike back in response, marking the latest twist in a diplomatic spat over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan.
3. Meet Ma Weiming, the Chinese naval genius behind the Fujian’s catapult
Only a select few People’s Liberation Army officers attended last week’s commissioning of the Fujian, but among them was Rear Admiral Ma Weiming – the man whose technological breakthrough put the aircraft carrier among the most advanced of its kind.