China lunar chief accuses US of interfering in joint space programmes with other nations
Wu Weiren, in a rare interview with foreign media, told Reuters that China pursued a policy of open space diplomacy, in contrast with the U.S., and that it remained open to cooperating on lunar exploration with developing and developed countries.
Wu said the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), an initiative led by Russia and China to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2035, was developing well, with 17 countries and international organisations already signed up as members.
But he suggested China had not been able to attract as many lunar project partners as the U.S. because of U.S. interference, though he didn't provide details.
'The ILRS' development trend is very good but compared to the U.S.' Artemis Accords, ours is much smaller in terms of countries because the U.S. is always interfering in ourcooperation with other countries, including with Europe,' Wu said, without elaborating on the interference.
The Artemis Accords are a U.S.-led multilateral agreement meant to establish norms of behaviour in space and on the moon and Mars, which has over 50 signatories so far.
'China and Russia cooperate the best with each other now,' Wu said, adding that China looked forward to further cooperation with Russia on moon-based nuclear energy.
Tiangong: Pakistan to send first astronaut to China's space station
Recent Chinese unmanned missions to the moon, to lay the groundwork to eventually build a manned lunar base, have carried foreign payloads from countries like Pakistan, Thailand, Italy and France, raising the profile of Beijing's space diplomacy.
'ILRS is the sole mission in the world that provides equal opportunities for any country to be accepted and to participate actively by proposing payloads and satellites,' said Hernan Merino Choque, a deputy director at the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, an ILRS member and a multilateral grouping whose biggest funder is Beijing.
China in February said it would train a Pakistani astronaut to join a future space flight next year to the country's Tiangong space station. This will be the first time a foreign astronaut enters the station.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the European Space Agency (ESA) ruled out joining the ILRS due to Russia's involvement.
Meanwhile, U.S-China space diplomacy has been limited by the Wolf Amendment, a U.S. law passed in 2011 that banned NASA from collaboration with 'China or any Chinese-owned company unless such activities are specifically authorised.'
While ESA sent a payload aboard China's latest lunar probe, the Chang'e-6 mission, it has since said there were no plans for it to join the Chang'e-7 and 8 missions, slated for next year and 2028, respectively.
In 2023, the European agency said it would no longer consider sending European astronauts to the Tiangong space station.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Jawad Ahmad releases new patriotic anthem ahead of 78th Independence Day
Renowned Pakistani singer, Jawad Ahmad, has released a new song to mark Pakistan's 78th Independence Day. The song, which aims to inspire the nation, highlights the importance of patriotism and unity for all the people living in Pakistan. The anthem, created by the leader of the Barabri Party Pakistan, presents a unique perspective on national pride. It emphasises the value of the homeland and underscores the collective responsibility of citizens towards their country. Ahmad's powerful voice brings the song to life, with direction by Dilwaiz Ali Khan. The music for the anthem was composed by Sajid Hussain and Faisal Iqbal. The song begins with themes of courage, strength, determination, passion, and hard work, encapsulated in the powerful words "This is my country, these are my people." The lyrics of the anthem portray the spirit of Pakistanis, urging them to live fearlessly like eagles, fight bravely like lions, and stay united in love and defence of their homeland. The song serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made for the country and the importance of standing together as one nation.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Anti-terror outreach
Listen to article A shot in the arm for Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts as Majeed Brigade has been proscribed by the United States. The labelling of the Baloch terrorist outfit by the US State Department as a "Foreign Terrorist Organisation" is an outcome of detailed persuasion on the part of Islamabad, and clears the path for global action against such dreaded organisations. Majeed Brigade performs as the suicide wing of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which is already languishing in the US terror category. Some of the recent gruesome activities of this duo include the hijacking of Jaffer Express train in which more than 30 passengers o were killed; profile screening and killing of people in bus attacks; the 2024 Karachi airport ambush that killed Chinese engineers; and last but not least persistent attacks on security forces and government installations in the desolate province of Balochistan. While the State Department move speaks at length about the understanding that both the countries have attained in their counter-terrorism strategy, it needs to be buckled up with a broader regional response. Beijing has to play a special role as it enters into talks with India later this month, as footprints of Delhi are widely evident in the province. The rise of Khawarij (Indian proxies) is a case in point, and Chinese assets and personnel engaged in CPEC projects have been a victim. China must raise this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and bring the latter on board in fighting terrorism, rather than indulging in policies of bleeding Pakistan. Likewise, a broad-based policy is desired wherein Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian states collaborate to exhibit zero-tolerance towards non-state actors, and entities such as BLA, TTP, ISIK, Al-Qaeda and their accomplices are taken out. Washington admits that there have been more than 1,000 terrorist attacks in "the western area of Pakistan" this year. Pakistan, which has sacrificed more than 80,000 lives in the war on terrorism, must take this international acknowledgment to beef up its anti-terror gear and devise a multipronged policy. Apart from the kinetic option, the intention should be to neutralise the dissidents through political outreach in order to make inroads for stability and development.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
EU's extensive wishlist for China
The author writes on geopolitical issues and regional conflicts. He can be reached at Listen to article Brussels' readout of the 25th China-EU Summit was replete with charges. It's a significantly harsh tone compared to what European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen struck in April, urging both sides to support a "strong reformed trading system", representing a carefully calibrated signal of cooperation. True, the EU runs a massive trade deficit in goods of €305 billion with China. While this gives a colossal leverage to the bloc and strengthens its bargaining position in bilateral talks, Brussels' extensive wishlist muddles its ambitions to overcome the stumbling blocks, posing challenges to a "mutually beneficial" relationship. Indeed, trade with China has benefited European consumers, providing them greater access to cheap products and supporting 3 million jobs. Mutual investments have augmented European companies' profits. The country's capital inflows in electrical vehicle and battery manufacturing and the China-EU energy cooperation could enhance EU's production capacity and ensure its energy security, bringing economic prosperity and accelerating green development. After all, it was China whose imports and capital influx assisted to prop up Europe's creaking economies during the European sovereign debt crisis. Although it was seen as a strategic move to help itself, China's support at a critical time bolstered European ability to navigate one of the nastiest economic challenges. The EU has been accusing China of flooding the global markets with subsidised overcapacity. Beijing's competitive advantages including affordable labour costs, efficient supply chains and large economies of scale, producing more goods at significantly lower prices, are some of the major drivers behind its export boom. China has leveraged its low-cost production and immense innovation capabilities in advanced industries to make an increasing number of Chinese companies formidable global competitors. By frequently staying ahead in innovation, Beijing continues to lead or is on a par with global leaders in commercial nuclear power, electric vehicles and batteries and make progress in key sectors like robotics, biopharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence. The East Asian economy is a global manufacturing leader and a lynchpin of the global supply chain owing to its decades-old strategic policies that were envisioned to transform the country into a manufacturing powerhouse through industrialisation, skilled labour force, robust infrastructure and integrated supply chains. As a result, China's share in world gross production in 2023 was estimated to be three times of the US, six times of Japan and nine times of Germany. Over the last decade, China has revolutionised its manufacturing industry, from one focusing on output to that centering quality and innovation. Service industry, green development and domestic consumption presently are the core components of the country's economic growth, with value-added manufacturing continuing to rise. Beijing's share in global value-added manufacturing has risen from less than 9% in 2004 to nearly 28% in 2024 and it is forecasted to account for 45% of the world's industrial production by 2030 compared to the 11% of the US. Industrialisation has played a vital role in China's "remarkable" achievement of lifting 800 million out of poverty and contributing to nearly 75% reduction in extreme poverty globally, the top UN sustainable development goal. One of the EU's major concerns is China's export controls on rare earth elements (REEs). While these raw materials are critical in producing a gamut of gadgets like smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles, they can be used to develop missiles, fighter jets and drones. Beijing may argue that its curbs are in line with EU's own practices to prevent the misuse of these dual-use items and contribute to global peace and non-proliferation efforts. As per the Eurostat, Brussels imported 12,900 tons of REEs in 2024 — 46.3% from China, 28.4% from Russia and 19.9% from Malaysia — while exporting 5,500 tons to other countries. The data contests the EC claim that EU relies on China for 98% of its REEs supply and weakens its position against Beijing vis-à-vis latter's trade with Moscow. The EU, or to put it straight, von der Leyen's China approach is markedly different from the European leaders who when visiting Beijing sought to build a "powerful partnership", struck trade deals and pursued to deepen cooperation to tackle climate change, hasten green transition and uphold free trade and multilateral trading system. More recently, Brussels has been looking to chart its own independent path to assert itself as a leading geopolitical and economic player. By trimming its demand list to trade and investment, EU could extract more concessions from China, allowing itself to expand exports and strengthen its commercial footprint in the large Chinese market. A more balanced approach, containing a concise rather than exhaustive list of demands, will further help build a collective response to US President Donald Trump's economic bullying and threats emanating from his actions to the multilateral trading system and rules-based international order. The EU needs to close these loopholes in its foreign policy to engage China on better footing.
