China has established a comprehensive meteorological observation network that spans the land, sea, air and space. For upper-air observations, the use of weather balloons equipped with radiosondes is a cornerstone method for gathering critical atmospheric data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed and direction across various altitudes.

The upgraded BeiDou radiosonde system, a new generation of upper-air sounding technology independently developed by China, represents a state-of-the-art achievement in the field. It reliably collects highly accurate vertical profile data from the ground up to an altitude of 30,000 meters, including measurements of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind direction and wind speed.

The BeiDou system provides a critical backbone for China's in-depth participation in global meteorological observation, forecasting and service provision. China currently operates 131 BeiDou-based upper-air stations, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the global network. Of these, 88 are designated as global data exchange stations. The shared data from these stations, constituting about 11 percent of the global total, furnishes vital input for worldwide numerical weather prediction and serves as a key reference for international efforts in addressing climate change.