Russia sent a Malaysian commercial telecom satellite into orbit from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan early Monday, local media reported.

The Zenit 3SLB rocket, with the Malaysian telecom satellite Measat 1R atop, successfully blasted off from Baikonur at around 1:50 a.m. Moscow time (2150 GMT Sunday), said Russian federal space agency Roscosmos.

Hours later the satellite will completely separate from the DM SLB booster of the rocket, and enter the geostationary orbit slot at 91.5 degrees EL.

The Measat 1R satellite was manufactured by a U.S. company with a designed service life of 15 years.

It will provide high-quality communications in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Zenit 3SLB was a 58-meter-long, three-stage launch vehicle developed by Russia’s Yuzhnoye Design Office. It can put payloads of up to 14 tons into low orbits. ?

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to strengthen and improve grassroots organizations of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to ensure prosperity, development, harmony and stability in ethnic minority areas.

Xi, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, made the call during his research trip to northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from June 17 to 21.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (C) talks with a local resident who comes for consultation at a community service hall in Korla City of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 17, 2009. Xi Jinping made a research trip to Xinjiang from June 17 to 21.

During his stay in the autonomous region, Xi toured Kashi, Bayingholin, Kalamayi, Shihezi and Urumqi cities, where he visited villages, communities, companies, schools and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

In Kashi, an area frequently shaken by earthquakes in recent years, Xi looked into the progress in building anti-earthquake houses. In Urumqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang, he attended a class of a high school and talked with students.

While visiting some big oil and chemical projects, the senior official called for developing a recycled economy and protecting resources and the environment.

Before his departure, Xi addressed a workshop for local Party and government officials.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (back L3) talks with students of the 15th Middle School of Urumqi in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 20, 2009. Xi Jinping made a research trip to Xinjiang from June 17 to 21.