From groceries and fast food to movie tickets and hotel reservations, an increasing number of people in China are making their daily purchases using smartphones instead of cash. Zhang Liying and Layne Flower from China.org.cn discuss the rising trend of mobile payments in China.

China’s most advanced weather satellite officially began operating 36,000 kilometers above the earth on Monday, greatly improving the country’s capabilities in weather forecasting, environmental monitoring and disaster prevention and relief. It is also expected to help China’s response to climate change.

WeChat composite images: A photo of Earth taken by the crew of NASA’s Apollo 17 spacecraft in 1972(left) will be replaced for three days by a photo taken by China’s Fengyun 4A satellite. Both Earth images were combined with a human figure for the instant messaging app’s logon page. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The 5.4-metric-ton Fengyun 4A, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, lifted off on Dec 11 atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province.

During its shakedown period, the satellite performed well and generated good-quality images and data, according to a news release from the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which oversees the satellite project.

It said the Fengyun 4A can be used to detect and monitor typhoons, sandstorms, rainstorms and smog.

Engineers from the China Meteorological Administration took control of the satellite on Monday. It is expected to be in service for more than six years.

The Fengyun 4A is the country’s latest geosynchronous meteorological satellite series and will gradually replace the Fengyun 2 generation. It will monitor the atmosphere, clouds and the space environment above China and the entire Western Pacific and Indian oceans, according to the administration.

Dong Yaohai, chief designer of the satellite at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, said it has four instrument groups－an advanced geosynchronous radiation imager, a geostationary interferometric infrared sounder, a lightning mapping imager and a space environment package.

He said the Fengyun 4A can calculate the density of PM10 and PM2.5－particulate matter that is harmful to human health－and is so sensitive that it can detect a temperature change of 0.1 C on the ground.

Zhao Jian, a key official overseeing the project, said China plans to launch the Fengyun 4B in 2018 and Fengyun 4C in 2020.

China launched its first weather satellite, Fengyun 1A, in 1988. Currently, the country maintains eight weather satellites－the Fengyun 4A (the newest), plus four Fengyun 2 series and three Fengyun 3 series satellites, according to the administration.

WeChat, the most popular instant messaging application in China, replaced its composite logon picture－which uses an image of Earth taken in 1972 by the crew of NASA’s Apollo 17 spacecraft－on Monday. It will use an image recently taken by the Fengyun 4A satellite until Thursday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday said all Chinese should make persistent efforts to realize the country’s two centenary goals and fulfill the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when visiting an exhibition here displaying China’s outstanding achievements over the past five years.

Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, also visited the exhibition.

The exhibition at the Beijing Exhibition Center has 10 themed exhibition zones and one experiencing zone. Multimedia and models are used for vivid display effect.

The Chinese Dream concept was put forward by Xi five years ago when he attended a 2012 exhibition themed “The Road Toward Renewal,” at which he said achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream for the nation in modern times.

Commending the “historic progress and changes” that have taken place in China over the past five years, Xi said efforts must be made to inspire public confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Party members and all Chinese should stay motivated, forge ahead and make persistent efforts to realize the country’s two centenary goals, fulfill the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, and prepare for the upcoming 19th National Congress of the CPC, he said.

Huang Xingguo, former acting Communist Party chief and mayor of Tianjin Municipality, was sentenced to 12 years in prison Monday for taking bribes of over 40 million yuan (US$ 6 million).

He was also fined 3 million yuan, according to a court in the city of Shijiazhuang in north China’s Hebei Province.

Between 1994 and 2016, Huang took advantage of his various posts to seek benefits regarding land using and personnel promotion for others.

He also used his power and status to seek illegal benefits for others through other officials, the court statement said.

In return, he accepted gifts and money worth 40 million yuan by himself or through others, it said.

The statement said the court handed down the sentence with consideration of Huang’s confessing to his crimes, showing repentance and providing reliable evidence of others’ violations. Huang has been cooperative in returning all his illegal gains.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged eight university students, who joined the army this year, to help the country achieve its goal of building a strong army.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to the students, which was written Saturday and made public Monday.