New group of satellites launched

China sent a new group of satellites into space on Thursday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. Launched at 12:41 pm aboard a modified Long March 6 carrier rocket, the satellite group, the third batch that will constitute the Spacesail Constellation, entered the preset orbits successfully. The newly launched satellite group includes 18 satellites, according to details released online by the Chinese commercial satellite constellation developer Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co. The total number of in-orbit Spacesail Constellation satellites has now reached 54.

Japanese fishing vessel warned off

The China Coast Guard warned and expelled a Japanese fishing vessel on Thursday after it illegally entered the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Islands. Liu Dejun, spokesman for the CCG, said in a statement on Thursday morning that the CCG vessels took necessary control measures against the fishing vessel and warned it off in accordance with the law. He said that the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands are inherent territories of China, urging the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in these waters.

China Daily - Xinhua