Since the completion of its in-orbit construction, China's space station Tiangong has evolved into a national space laboratory and is currently the largest, long-term manned space research platform in the country's space exploration.
Below is a timeline highlighting the key milestones in the construction and operation of the space station:
April 2021: China launched the first section of the Tiangong space station - the Tianhe core module cabin.
May 2021: China launched the cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-2, the first cargo ship sent into space in the key-technology verification phase of the space station.
June 2021: China launched the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, sending three astronauts into space, marking the first time Chinese people entered their own space station.
The Shenzhou-12 crew completed its first space station extravehicular activities during its three-month journey in orbit.
October 2021: China launched the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship.
During its six-month journey in orbit, the Shenzhou-13 crew conducted two extravehicular activities.
December 2021: The first live space class from the space station was held.
February 2022: Shenzhou-13 crew members became the first Chinese to spend the country's most important festival -- the Spring Festival -- in outer space.
June 2022: China launched the Shenzhou-14 manned spaceship.
July 2022: China launched Wentian, the first lab module of the space station.
September 2022: China's space station lab module Wentian completed in-orbit transposition.
The third live class from the space station was conducted by the Shenzhou-14 crew, marking the first science lecture from the Wentian.
July 2022: China launched the space lab module Mengtian, taking the construction of the country's space station Tiangong into final stage.
November 2022: Mengtian completed in-orbit transposition, marking the formation of the space station's basic T-shape configuration, representing a key step toward the completion of China's space station.
November 2022: China launched the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship.
November 2022: The crew of Shenzhou-14 and three astronauts from Shenzhou-15 met at the space station, a historic gathering that marked the beginning of China's long-term presence aboard the station.
December 2022: China completed the construction of its space station.
May 2023: China launched the Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship.
September 2023: The fourth live class from the space station was held, during which a spherical flame experiment was conducted for the first time.
During its mission, the Shenzhou-16 crew conducted the first-ever radiation biology exposure experiment outside the space station.
October 2023: China launched the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship.
November 2023: China released the first high-definition images of the completed space station.
During its mission, the Shenzhou-17 crew carried out the first-ever in-orbit maintenance of extravehicular facilities.
April 2024: China launched the Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship.
During its mission, the Shenzhou-18 crew conducted China's first in-orbit aquatic ecological research project.
October 2024: China launched the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceship.
December 2024: The Shenzhou-19 crew completed their first extravehicular activities.
Memorabilia of China's Tiangong space station development
A 25 percent import tariff on all foreign-built vehicles entering the United States has raised serious concerns for manufacturers in South Africa.
Automotive giants like Mercedes and BMW have long used South Africa as a base for global exports -- but those plans may be shifting into reverse gear after the U.S. announced the punitive measures.
"If you take, for example, BMW, 97 percent of the X3 that we are producing in Rosslyn is exported out of the country. We only sell 3 percent in South Africa, and there's a huge number of those vehicles that also go into the U.S. So there are companies in South Africa that are purely here not because they are selling vehicles in South Africa; they are here to produce vehicles for the global market, and it's important for them to remain globally competitive," said Mike Mabasa, CEO of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa.
U.S. automaker Ford, which has deep roots in South Africa, is also in the crosshairs.
The company recently invested over 300 million U.S. dollars to upgrade its Silverton plant in Pretoria, South Africa, for the production of the world's only plug-in hybrid Ranger, which has just entered production but could face delays or restrictions.
"If an American citizen wants to buy specifically a Ford Ranger that is a plug-in hybrid, they can only place an order in South Africa, nowhere else in the world. So, that means, obviously, the capacity of Ford to be able to produce those vehicles in big volumes is going to be constrained, because Americans are going be looking at another Ford that is produced in another country, or even in the United States," said Mabasa.
South Africa has long enjoyed duty-free automotive exports to the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, but that relationship now hangs in the balance.
A sharp shift in U.S. foreign policy threatens to derail an industry that employs thousands and contributes around 5 percent to the country's economy.
"We produce less than 1 percent of global automotive vehicles, so to say. So, in reality, the impact on us is likely to be more disproportionate than those of our peers that produce at the same level. And the risk is actually created -- a concentration risk -- in countries that have greater capacity and are building more; in those countries will be able to absorb some of this," said Parks Tau, South Africa's minister of trade and industry.
Amid growing concerns about overreliance on the U.S. market, Amith Singh, national manager for manufacturing at Nedbank Commercial Bank, emphasized the importance of tapping into regional trade opportunities.
"I think we need to make better use of some of our local agreements, our African continental agreements. How do we leverage that? How do we partner with the government and private sector to start benefiting the countries and the economies aside from the United States? So, those could be the catalyst to drive our localization projects; it could be what we need to drive the African economy as opposed to being completely reliant on the States (United States)," he said.
South Africa is for now standing firm in its decision not to retaliate against steep U.S. import tariffs, set to take effect in just a few days.
Officials in Pretoria acknowledge the challenges posed by the current U.S. administration but are pursuing a diplomatic approach in hopes of maintaining stable relations and preserving the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
US tariffs rock South Africa’s auto industry
