China has set the window to launch its Long March-5 Y2 carrier rocket between July 2 and 5, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Carrying Shijian-18 communication satellite, the rocket was vertically transferred to the launch area at Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province on Monday.

Shijian-18 will test processes for the new Dongfanghong-5 satellites and carry out in-orbit experiments.

After arriving at the launch base on May 5, the rocket has undergone assembly and testing. This will be the second launch mission for the Long March-5, which debuted in Wenchang in November 2016.

During the mission, the rocket will further test its core technology, accumulate data and provide support ahead of the launch of the Chang’e-5 lunar probe in the second half of this year.

Fuelled by liquid hydrogen, kerosene and liquid oxygen, the Long March-5 can carry a payload of 25 tonnes into low Earth orbit and 14 tonnes in geostationary orbit, over 2.5 times the capacity of current Long March carrier rockets.

Two panda cubs in China’s Macao Special Administrative Region celebrated their first birthday Sunday when they turned one year old.

This is also the first time they have met the public together with their mother.

The twin brothers sat on the ground, eating their birthday cakes made of bamboos, while behind the glass windows, visitors watched them with joy and ecstasy.

Visitors sang songs and chanted Happy Birthday to Jianjian and Kangkang in Cantonese.

One of the panda care team members said Jianjian now weighs about 23 kg and Kangkang 22 kg. Kangkang, the younger brother, has gained much weight as he was only 53 grams at birth, he said.

The two are still in the baby stage and fed mainly on breast milk and milk powder. They are also starting to learn from their mother’s behavior such as picking up bamboos.

The brothers and their parents will meet the public in Macao every afternoon during the summer vacation.

Beijing police on Sunday destroyed 1.4 tonnes of narcotics, which had been seized in various operations between 2014 and 2015.

The haul included heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine, and caffeine.

The drugs were destroyed at Beijing Cement Plant, incinerated in furnaces up to 2,700 degree Celsius.

In 2016, Beijing police arrested more than 10,000 suspects in 1,366 narcotics cases.

Beijing has over 36,000 registered drug addicts, most of whom use synthetic drugs like methamphetamine, according to Liu Yi, deputy director with the municipal narcotics control commission.

“Beijing police face a tough battle against drugs and therefore have ‘zero tolerance’ for drug-related crimes,” said Liu.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of several officials on Monday.

Sun Yao was appointed vice education minister.

Ni Yuefeng was named deputy head of the General Administration of Customs.

Yang Xiaowei was appointed deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, to replace Wang Xiujun.

Sun Dawei was removed from the posts of deputy director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and director of Certification and Accreditation Administration.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong Sunday called for more efforts to promote solidarity and progress among various ethnic groups in China.

Authorities should greatly improve the education, healthcare and employment for the ethnic minorities and give them equal access to basic public services, Liu said at a conference on ethnic solidarity in Hohhot, capital city of north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

They should promote the communication among and integration of ethnic groups, creating a social environment where ethnic people live, study, work and share joy together, according to Liu.

Local governments should handle ethnic affairs according to law, and safeguard ethnic solidarity and harmony by laws and the Constitution, She said.

During an inspection in the region, Liu also asked ethnic groups to respect and communicate with each other, making joint efforts to safeguard ethnic solidarity and social stability.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was founded 70 years ago as China’s first minority autonomous region under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.