The Fengyun-1D meteorological satellite and Haiyang-1 marine surveying satellite were launched on a Long March 4 rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province.

The Haiyang-1 is the first marine surveying satellite independently developed by China.

The Fengyun-1D is a first generation meteorological satellite developed by China, which will lead the way to comprehensive weather services and monitoring the global environment.

The launch was the 25th consecutive successful launch on the Long March rockets since October 1996.

Experts said that the successful launch of the two satellites shows that China has basically set up a long-term satellite monitoring system, which would speed up China's meteorological research and help promote national economic development.

(China Daily May 15, 2002)