Opinion\Op-Ed Contributors

Unremitting pursuit of space dream

China Daily | Updated: 2016-12-28 07:56

(2) Multilateral cooperation

・ China takes an active part in activities organized by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee, and negotiations on international space rules such as the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. It signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the China National Space Administration and the United Nations on Earth Observation Data and Technical Support, actively promoting data sharing and cooperation between China's earth observation satellites on the UN platform.

・ China supports the relevant work of the Beijing office of the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response. The UN set up the Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China) in Beijing to promote personnel training in the international space arena.

・ Within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, China actively participated in the APSCO Joint Small Multi-mission Satellite Constellation Program. It also organized the APSCO Development Strategy Forum with the theme of "the Belt and Road Initiative for Facilitating Regional Capacity Building of the Asia-Pacific Countries," at which the Beijing Declaration was adopted.

・ China and the space agencies of Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa co-sponsored and actively promoted cooperation in the BRICS remote-sensing satellite constellation.

・ China launched the China-ASEAN Satellite Information Maritime Application Center, and Lancang-Mekong River Spatial Information Exchange Center.

・ China actively participated in activities organized by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, Group on Earth Observations, and other intergovernmental organizations. It hosted the 31st Council of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, the 32nd Meeting of the IADC and other international conferences.

・ China actively participated in activities organized by the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems, or ICG, and held the Seventh ICG Conference. It actively improved the compatibility and interoperability of the Beidou system with other satellite navigation systems, popularized satellite navigation technology, and cooperated with a number of countries and regions in satellite navigation applications.

・ China actively participated in activities organized by the International Astronautical Federation, International Committee on Space Research, International Academy of Astronautics, International Institute of Space Law, and other nongovernmental international space organizations and academic institutes. It held the 64th International Astronautical Congress, 2014 United Nations/China/APSCO Workshop on Space Law, 36th International Conference on Earth Science and Remote-Sensing, and related international conferences. It also held the First Seminar on Manned Spaceflight Technology within the framework of the United Nations Program on Space Applications.

・ China actively participated in the international coordination of global disaster prevention and reduction, and provided satellite data support and technical services for major international disaster-relief efforts through the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, and related mechanisms.

(3) Commercial activities

China encourages and supports Chinese enterprises to participate in international commercial activities in the space field. It has exported satellites and made in-orbit delivery of Nigeria's communications satellite, Venezuela's remote-sensing satellite-1, Bolivia's communications satellite, Laos' communications satellite-1 and Belarus' communications satellite-1. In addition, it provided commercial launch service for Turkey's Gokturk-2 earth observation satellite, and when launching its own satellites took on small satellites for Ecuador, Argentina, Poland, Luxembourg and other countries. It has also provided business services concerning space information.