A Chinese researcher named Wu Chunfeng (武春风) said he planned to launch "artificial moons" (人造月亮). However, as the BBC puts it:
It's not clear from any of the reports whether this project has any official backing.
Fake moon: Could China really light up the night sky?, 20 October 2018.
I didn't find anyone other than Wu Chunfeng supporting this proposal.
This was actually reported on by the Global Times:
Southwestern China’s city of Chengdu plans to launch its illumination satellite, also known as the “artificial moon”, in 2020, according to Wu Chunfeng, chairman of Chengdu Aerospace Science and Technology Microelectronics System Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Wu made the remarks at a national mass innovation and entrepreneurship activity held in Chengdu on Oct. 10.
Chengdu to launch "artificial moon" in 2020, October 16, 2018
And by China Daily:
China plans to put an artificial moon in orbit above Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan by 2020. If the launch proves successful, three more such objects will be launched in 2022, Wu Chunfeng, head of Tian Fu New Area Science Society in Chengdu, told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
... This is due to the object's planned orbit about 500 kilometers above Earth－much closer than the 380,000-km distance to the moon, Wu said.
... However, Wu stressed that much work still needs to be done, both in terms of scientific feasibility and business models, to tap into the full potential of China's artificial moons.
Man-made moon to shed light on Chengdu in 2020, 19 October 2018.
On his Baidu Baike page, Wu Chunfeng 武春风 is listed as a graduate of Harbin Institute of Technology, having published 30+ academic papers, and is now the chairman of 航天科工微电子系统研究院有限公司 (listed here) and the given address leads to here on Baidu Maps. The project's Baidu Baike page is here.
There are articles about him at ASIMSI.cn, such as this one from 2019 where he receives an award:
Here's him at a ceremony in 2018, him receiving an award in 2020, and him giving a speech 2021.
China Daily reports reaching out to 武春风 for an interview:
记者联系到公司所在地成都天府新区，该区工作人员表示， 发射“人造月亮”一事为公司行为。武春风回复科技日报记者称，目前公司正在进行反光镜的展开机构设计。“此事正在攻关中，再报道就成商业炒作了，违背初衷。” 他婉拒了记者进一步采访的请求。
[Google Translate]: The reporter contacted the Chengdu Tianfu New District, where the company is located, and the staff in this area stated that the launch of the "artificial moon" was an act of the company. Wu Chunfeng replied to the reporter of Science and Technology Daily that the company is currently in the process of developing the design of the mirror. "This matter is in the process of tackling key problems, and further reporting will become a commercial hype, contrary to the original intention." He declined the reporter's request for further interviews.
“人造月亮”，照明利器还是污染之源？, 2 November 2018.
A satellite in orbit 500kms above Earth would be have an orbital period of 94.6 minutes, and would necessarily spend half the night on the other side of the Earth (much like the International Space Station). This appears to be why three "man-made moons" are needed:
这3面巨大的反射镜将等分360度的轨道平面，3颗‘月亮’交替运行可实现对同一地区24小时不间断照射，反射的太阳光可覆盖地表3600至6400平方公里的范围。
[Google Translate]: These three huge mirrors will equally divide the 360-degree orbital plane. The three "moons" alternately can irradiate the same area 24 hours a day, and the reflected sunlight can cover a range of 3600 to 6400 square kilometers on the surface.
我国“人造月亮”拟上天 最大光照强度可达月光8倍, 19 October 2018, quoting 武春风.
