The project was decades in the making and development became so complicated that at one stage the authorities came close to scrapping it.

But on June 15 a Long March 4B rocket finally took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert in Inner Mongolia to send the Hard X Ray modulation Telescope- or HXMT- into orbit, some 550 km above earth, says Steophen Chen of South China Morning Post quoting Xinhua news agency.

Space agencies in the US, Europe, Japan and India have already launched nearly 10 satellites to find and observe black holes, which remain one of the most mysterious phenomena known to physics.

Chinese astronomers hoped to contribute to the research too. But without their own satellite , they were limited to dated and second hand data already analysed by their foreign colleagues. The HXMT will change the game, said Wu Xuebing , Professor of astrophysics at Peking University.

The collecting area of the 2.5 tonne telescope is more than half a square metre, the world’s largest for the study of black holes, according to Xiong Shaolin. space scientist involved in the project. In comparison, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory operated by NASA has a collecting area of about 400 square centimetres. Using a unique panoramic lens, the HXMT can scan the galaxy in two days, faster than other satellites.

This project is part of China’s ambitious efforts to catch up and compete with other nations in fundamental research in space. In recent years, China has sent up numerous research satellites, including a dark matter probe and the world ‘s first quantum satellite. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China will launch more than 20 satellites to study a range of scientific goals between 2016 and 2030.

A black hole sucks celestial objects such as stars and planets towards itself with enormous gravitational force. These objects emit string electromagnetic waves when they are devoured. By analysing the waves, scientists hope to better understand the process and the physical nature of the black hole itself.

In another significant development, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has issued a diktat to its Garrison in Hong Kong to adhere to the decisions and orders of the central leadership, the military and President Xi Jinping, who is expected to visit the city state for the handover anniversary on July 1, 2017.

The PLA has signalled that the Hong Kong Garrison is no longer just a symbol of Chinese sovereignty but also a combat-ready force prepared to demonstrate China's military might.

This assertion came as one of the Beijing officials responsible for Hong Kong is reported to have said that the HK Garrison will play a bigger role in boosting 'patriotism' after providing a strong back up to quell the democracy protests in 2014.

"The PLA's Garrison in Hong Kong is not only a military garrison; more importantly, it is a political Garrison", wrote commander Yuan Yubai and political commissioner Wei Liang of the Southern Theatre Command, in a article to mark the 20th anniversary of Chinese military presence in Hong Kong since the handover!

The article was published on Thursday in 'Qiushi', the Communist Party's flagship journal, meaning seeking truth.

The Garrison has changed from being a symbolic presence to a show of force, from image building to to combat capability development, they said.

The Garrison is studying the security risks and combat scenarios to better devise plans in the event of a war. Equipped with destroyers and warships, it is tasked with monitoring security in Hong Kong waters and airspace, apart from protecting the city state.

Last week, the Garrison conducted air and naval patrol off Hong Kong in an apparent show of strength just days after a 'dangerous' encounter between Chinese and United States military aircraft some 240 kms southeast of Hong Kong.

The Garrison's mission, said the article, was to safeguard the "one country, two systems" policy as well China's sovereignty.

Beijing officials have lamented that although Hong Kong has rejoined the motherland, its residents' "hearts have yet to be reunified". (IPA)