Foreign and Military Affairs

NASA sees hope for a Chinese partner

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-27 08:24

BEIJING - NASA chief Charles Bolden said his China visit laid the groundwork for future cooperation between the two countries on manned space flight and space exploration.

The head of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a former astronaut and veteran of four space shuttle missions, wrapped up a five-day trip to China on Thursday that included a tour of a major space launch center.

Bolden said in a statement released on Tuesday by the US embassy in Beijing that he had been given a "very comprehensive visit" of facilities linked to China's manned space flight program and held talks with senior officials.

He said the visit had helped the two sides "reach a common understanding of the importance of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit as the underlying principles of any future interaction" in the area of space flight.

While no specific proposals for cooperation were discussed, Bolden said his trip could "form the basis for further dialogue and cooperation in a manner that is consistent with the national interests of both of our countries".

"I am pleased that NASA was able to meet its objectives for the visit," Bolden said.

The two sides had said during US President Barack Obama's visit to China in November 2009 that they looked forward to "expanding discussions on space science cooperation" and organizing reciprocal visits by their space chiefs.

Bolden's visit came two weeks after China launched its second lunar probe - the next step in its ambitious program to become the second country to put a man on the moon.

The Americans have achieved the only manned lunar missions, making six trips from 1969 to 1972.

Agencies