16th Int'l Exhibition on Transport Technology, Equipment showcases sophisticated technologies

A vast array of groundbreaking innovations and sophisticated technologies for use in the transport and logistics sector were showcased at the 16th International Exhibition on Transport Technology and Equipment that opened in Beijing on Sunday.

Running from Sunday to Tuesday, this year's exhibition features five zones spread across a 30,000-square-meter area, focusing on infrastructure connectivity, stabilized logistics supply chains, transportation safety and security, green transportation and energy transformation, integrated road and air transport, and smart transportation. At the exhibition, a standout exhibit is an AI-powered robot that has captured the attention of many visitors. The tunnel inspection robot, leveraging artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, can traverse tunnels at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. It boasts a large battery capacity that can be fully charged wirelessly within an hour, enabling 20 hours of continuous inspection.

This robot can be further applied in a variety of scenarios such as underground pipelines in cities, subways, and unmanned substations in the future.

In addition, an eye-catching high-tech exhibit is the smart lamppost. Its utility extends beyond illumination to include environmental monitoring, broadcasting, and emergency location services. Most notably, it offers wireless charging technology for mobile phones when placed on it. Another tech-powered item is the electronic rearview mirror installed in trucks, utilizing wide-angle imaging technology. This small device enhances the driver's field of vision beyond the limitations of traditional rearview mirror, reducing blind spot and ensuring safer driving for truck drivers on the road.

Another eye-catching invention is an underwater inspection robot. It relies on advanced image recognition technology and autonomous navigation systems, enabling its future utilization in scenarios such as marine operations, rescue and salvage missions, and aquaculture.

The exhibition serves as a platform for transportation-related companies and institutions to share knowledge, exchange technologies, and promote investment and trade, fostering sustainable and innovative growth within the transportation sector.

16th Int'l Exhibition on Transport Technology, Equipment showcases sophisticated technologies

The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament, will hold a vote on May 8 to ratify a natural resources agreement signed with the United States earlier this week.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Wednesday an agreement between the two countries to establish the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which will give the U.S. preferential access to some of Ukraine's natural resources.

The fund will become operational within a month to a month and a half after the agreement is approved by the Ukrainian parliament, according to Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Friday.

Speaking to Ukrainian media, the minister expressed her hope for the early launch of the fund, saying it should become a tool for the recovery and development of key sectors of the Ukrainian economy.

Also on Friday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the follow-up technical documents for the fund will not be intergovernmental, but will be signed at the institutional level.

He said that the follow-up agreements will be of an implementation nature between Ukraine's designated agency and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and therefore will not require ratification by the parliament.

Although there are no formal security guarantees in the agreement, but each new military assistance provided by the U.S. to Ukraine is considered a capital contribution, which will encourage the U.S. administration to continue and not to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons and intelligence, said the Ukrainian Prime Minister, who also called on the legislature to ratify the agreement as soon as possible.

Ukrainian parliament to vote on natural resources deal with U.S. on May 8