MalaGIS

Sharing GIS Technologies, Resources and News.

In a previous article "Accessing Pre-Vectorized Trail Data from China's Outdoor Platform: Two Step Road - MalaGIS", I introduced a popular domestic platform for downloading, sharing, and hosting trail data. Many users found it quite useful, but some outdoor enthusiasts raised concerns: what if such a platform shuts down? Would they still be able to safely download their own data? I cannot guarantee that, but if you have such concerns, an open-source trail data management platform called Wanderer is recommended.

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In the previous article, QGIS 4.0 Roadmap Unveiled: Major Qt6 Migration Scheduled for October Release, we introduced some early news about QGIS 4.0. According to the official roadmap, QGIS 4.0 (based on Qt 6) was expected to be released in October 2025—around this time. However, upon checking the official website yesterday, it appears that QGIS 4.0 has been officially delayed, with the new release date now set for February 2026.

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In the previous article, Loading the Geovis Earth Basemap in ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and QGIS, I introduced the free Geovis Earth basemap service. Recently, some readers asked whether I could create a tutorial on loading imagery from Siwei Earth.

So I gave it a try — and yes, it technically works (using their free API). However, the imagery turned out to have major positional offsets, making it unsuitable for practical use. Still, the API extraction method itself is quite interesting, so let’s explore it.

PS: If you’re only looking for a usable basemap URL, you can skip this post. I’ve tested it — it doesn’t work properly.

Above: The loaded data shows significant offset issues.

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In the previous article, A Guide to Using Jilin-1 Satellite Imagery as a Basemap in ArcGIS Pro, I introduced the Jilin-1 basemap service as an alternative to China’s Tianditu maps for ArcGIS Pro users. Many readers asked whether there are other map sources available. Today, let’s look at another excellent basemap provider — Geovis Earth.

PS: I’ve actually mentioned Geovis Earth several times in earlier posts. Back then, with so many international basemap options, few paid attention. However, after ArcGIS Pro Services Blocked in China? Chinese Users Are in Trouble..., the number of stable and accessible basemap services in China has significantly decreased. In this context, Geovis Earth has become a great alternative.

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Many users have reported that after switching to the Tianditu basemap in the China region of ArcGIS Pro, some imagery appears unclear and there are limited style options. Well, given the particular nature of our industry and the strict requirements for data legality and compliance, if data confidentiality is a concern, it is strongly recommended not to use map sources outside the China region. So, are there any other Chinese map sources available? Of course, I found a basemap service with decent clarity: the Jilin-1 map source. It offers a free usage quota for individuals, and I highly recommend it.

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Following recent announcements from the Ministry of State Security and the service suspension of ArcGIS Pro basemaps, many users have suggested switching to QGIS. However, does using QGIS truly ensure security and compliance? After several days of research, this article attempts to explore this issue and welcomes further discussion.

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In the previous article "ArcGIS Pro Basemap Service Access Issues in China and Solutions", we discussed the unavailability of ArcGIS Pro basemap services within China. One of the suggested solutions was to wait for an official fix. Surprisingly, the ArcGIS Pro team acted swiftly. Just yesterday (2025-09-18), upon opening ArcGIS Pro, the basemap services were already functioning normally again.

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Early yesterday morning, our team received several messages in the Malagis GIS backend asking why the ArcGIS Pro basemap services couldn’t be loaded. I went to check it out and was quite puzzled—everything was working smoothly on my end without any issues. So, I posted about it on social media and found that most friends couldn’t access it either, with only a few reporting it was working. Some also shared solutions in the comments.

After seeing everyone’s workarounds, I realized my tool had been set to the default mode all along. After switching to direct mode, a big exclamation mark indeed appeared.

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On September 10, 2025, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) announced Notice No. 12 of 2025, officially approving the establishment of the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves," the area, scope, and functional zoning of the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve are hereby published. The reserve is located in Sansha City, Hainan Province, covering a total area of 3,523.67 hectares. This includes a core zone of 1,242.55 hectares and an experimental zone of 2,281.12 hectares. The primary conservation objective is the coral reef ecosystem. The main areas are shown in the figure below:

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Many friends often leave messages on the MalaGIS website asking if there are free DEM data download resources. While other users have shared numerous posts on this topic—covering data sources like SRTM, ASTER GDEM, ALOS, and Copernicus DEM—these are relatively professional datasets typically manageable only by GIS practitioners. So, are there tools suitable for beginners or the general public? For instance, a tool that allows online viewing of a region's terrain with 3D rendering effects without the need to download professional GIS or 3D software? Recently, I discovered a small tool called WorldViewR and would like to share it with you.

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