China’s first seed bank for space cultivation lands in Shaanxi province

China Opens First Seed Bank for Cultivation in Space – Yicai Global

What happened: China’s first space cultivation seed research center and laboratory opened in Shaanxi province. The center is reported to be a resource base for space breeding and seed selection. Its first task will be sending and cultivating 20 varieties of trees to find new methods to breed tree and flower seeds.

Why it’s important: China is pushing forward research and development of its existing technology advantages such as space technology. The country has received intense domestic criticism for its lack of core tech competitiveness recently. An easier approach to catch up with leading tech players would be strengthening current key tech projects while setting up new goals.