BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) - The following are the highlights of China's key technology news from the past week:

NEW SATELLITES

China sent a resource satellite and two small satellites into planned orbits from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.

(Photo: VCG)

The resource satellite, ZY-1 02D, will provide observation data for natural resources asset management, ecological monitoring, disaster prevention and control, environmental protection, urban construction, transportation and contingency management.

ROBOTICS FACTORY

Swiss tech giant ABB began construction of its new 67,000-square meter robotics manufacturing and research facility in Kangqiao, Shanghai on Thursday.

With an investment of 150 million US dollars, the facility is expected to be put into use in 2021.

FACIAL RECOGNITION FOR SUBWAY STATIONS

The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has adopted facial recognition technology since Monday in two of its subway stations, allowing for fast and easy entrance.

Instead of using tickets or their smartphones, passengers can smile at a screen to unlock the electric gates.

INTELLIGENT LAMP POSTS

Beijing has introduced intelligent lamp posts with multiple functions in several districts.

Lamp posts in 17 streets of Haidian District are being updated into smart lamp posts that integrate roles of monitoring traffic violations, showing road signs and holding 5G facilities.