China launched the Shenzhou XVI manned spaceship on May 30, sending three astronauts to its space station combination for a five-month mission.

Aboard the Shenzhou XVI were 14,900 seeds, including oranges, tangerines, waxberries, and broccoli, from Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province. These were transported to space to be used in a five-month space experiment organized by the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).

Taizhou first carried out space breeding in the 1990s. At that time, rice seed was carried to space.

The city has also been paying close attention to the development of the seed industry. It has won four national new variety right protections, and its five new varieties have received provincial recognition since 2020.

Space breeding produces many beneficial variations with high yield and strong disease resistance.

In recent years, Taizhou has been dedicating to solving problems related to seeds and has carried out innovative research and development involving rice and cherry seeds.

After the seeds return to Earth, Taizhou will work to improve the quality and variety of seeds, contributing to the country's seed industry.