V. International Exchanges and Cooperation
The 
Chinese government holds that outer space is the common wealth of all mankind, 
and each and every country in the world enjoys equal rights to freely explore, 
develop and utilize outer space and celestial bodies; and that all countries' 
outer space activities should be beneficial to the economic development, social 
progress of nations, to security, subsistence and development of mankind, and to 
friendly cooperation between people of different countries.
International 
space cooperation should adhere to the fundamental principles stated in the 
"Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer 
Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, Taking into Particular 
Account the Needs of Developing Countries." China maintains that international 
space exchanges and cooperation should be strengthened on the basis of equality 
and mutual benefit, peaceful utilization and common 
development.
Fundamental Policies 
The Chinese government has adopted the following policies with regard to 
developing international space exchanges and cooperation:
-- Adhering to 
the principle of independence and taking the initiative in our own hands, 
carrying out active and practical international cooperation in consideration of 
the overall, rational utilization of domestic and international markets and 
resources to meet the needs of the national modernization drive.
-- 
Supporting activities regarding the peaceful use of outer space within the 
framework of the United Nations. Supporting all inter- governmental activities 
for promoting the development of space technology, space application and space 
science as well as those conducted between non-governmental space 
organizations.
-- Attaching importance to space cooperation in the 
Asia-Pacific region, and supporting other regional space cooperation around the 
world.
-- Reinforcing space cooperation with developing countries, and 
valuing space cooperation with developed countries.
-- Encouraging and 
endorsing the efforts of domestic scientific research institutes, industrial 
enterprises, institutions of higher learning, as well as social organizations to 
develop international space exchanges and cooperation in different forms and at 
different levels under the guidance of relevant state policies, laws and 
regulations.
Major Events 
Over the past five years, China has developed bilateral space cooperation 
with a host of countries. It has successively signed 16 international space 
cooperation agreements and memorandums with 13 countries, space agencies and 
international organizations, and propelled multilateral cooperation in space 
technology and its application in the Asia-Pacific region and the process of 
establishing a space cooperation institution for the region. China has joined 
relevant activities sponsored by the United Nations and other relevant 
international organizations, and supported international space commercial 
activities. These measures have yielded positive results.
1. Bilateral 
cooperation: Over the past five years, China has signed cooperation agreements 
on the peaceful use of outer space and space project cooperation agreements with 
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, the ESA 
and the European Union Committee, and has established space cooperation 
subcommittee or joint commission mechanisms with Brazil, France, Russia and 
Ukraine. It has signed space cooperation memorandums with space organizations of 
India and Britain, and has conducted exchanges with space-related bodies of 
Algeria, Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan, Peru and the United States. 
China 
continues to collaborate with Brazil on the Earth resources satellite program. 
Following the successful launch of the Sino-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite 02 
in October 2003, the Chinese and Brazilian governments signed supplementary 
protocols on the joint research and manufacturing of satellites 02B, 03 and 04, 
and on cooperation in a data application system, maintaining the continuity of 
data of Sino-Brazil Earth resources satellites and expanding the application of 
such satellites' data regionwide and worldwide. 
China and France have 
developed extensive space exchanges and cooperation. Under the mechanism of the 
Sino-French Joint Commission on Space Cooperation, the exchanges and cooperation 
between the two countries have made important progress in space science, Earth 
science, life science, satellite application, and satellite TT&C.
The 
space cooperation between China and Russia has produced marked results. Within 
the framework of the Space Cooperation SubCommittee of the Committee for the 
Regular Sino-Russian Premiers' Meeting, a long-term cooperation plan has been 
determined. In addition, exchanges and cooperation in the sphere of manned 
spaceflight have been carried out, including astronaut training.
China 
has unfolded space exchanges and cooperation with Ukraine. Under the mechanism 
of the Sino-Ukrainian Joint Commission on Space Cooperation, the two countries 
have determined cooperation plans.
China and the ESA have carried out the 
Sino-ESA Double Star Satellite Exploration of the Earth's Space Plan. China's 
relevant departments and the ESA have implemented the "Dragon Program," 
involving cooperation in Earth observation satellites, having so far conducted 
16 remote-sensing application projects in the fields of agriculture, forestry, 
water conservancy, meteorology, oceanography and disasters. 
2. 
Multilateral cooperation: In October 2005, the representatives of China, 
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru and Thailand signed the 
Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) Convention in Beijing, and 
in June 2006 Turkey signed the Convention as well. APSCO will be headquartered 
in Beijing. This marks a significant step toward the official establishment of 
APSCO.
China continues to promote the Asia-Pacific Region Multilateral 
Cooperation in Small Multi-Mission Satellites Project. Together with Bangladesh, 
Iran, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan and Thailand, China has started 
the joint research, manufacture and application of small multi-mission 
satellites, to be launched in 2007. 
China takes a positive part in activities organized by the United Nations 
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) and its Scientific and 
Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee. China has acceded to the "Treaty 
on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of 
Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies," "Agreement on the 
Rescue and Return of Astronauts, and on the Return of Objects Launched into 
Outer Space," "Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space 
Objects," and "Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer 
Space," and strictly fulfils its responsibilities and obligations. China 
actively participates in the relevant activities organized by the UN COPUOS to 
implement the recommendations made by the Third United Nations Conference on the 
Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III). In particular, 
China, alongside Canada and France as co-chairs, has propelled the work of the 
space-system-based disaster mitigation and disaster management of the Action 
Team (AT-7) joined by 40 member states of COPUOS and 15 international 
organizations, and has actively taken part in the work of an ad hoc expert group 
to study the possibility of creating a coordination mechanism for disaster 
mitigation and management. China has acceded to a disaster mitigation mechanism 
consisting of space organizations from different countries in the light of the 
Charter on Cooperation to Achieve the Coordinated Use of Space Facilities in the 
Event of Natural or Technological Disasters. In cooperation with the UN, China 
has hosted UN/ESA/China basic space science workshops and a UN/China workshop on 
tele-health development in Asia and the Pacific. China has also hosted, in 
collaboration with the Multilateral Cooperation Secretariat of the Asia-Pacific 
Space Cooperation Organization and the UN Economic and Social Commission for 
Asia and the Pacific, training courses and symposia on space technology 
applications, and has provided financial support for these activities. China has 
also taken part in a program promoting the application of space for sustainable 
development in Asia and the Pacific organized and implemented by the UN Economic 
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
China has actively 
participated in activities organized by the Inter-Agency Space Debris 
Coordination Committee, started the Space Debris Action Plan, and strengthened 
international exchanges and cooperation in the field of space debris research. 
It has participated in the relevant activities organized by the Committee on 
Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), and hosted the 18th CEOS plenary and 20th 
anniversary activities in Beijing in November 2004. In May 2005, China 
officially became a member of the ad hoc inter-governmental Group on Earth 
Observations (GEO), and an executive committee member as well. In July 2006, 
China held in Beijing the 36th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific 
Assembly and the 8th International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) 
International Conference on the Exploration and Utilization of the Moon. In 
addition, China has taken part in the relevant activities of the International 
Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 
International Astronautical Federation (IAF), and Committee on Space Research 
(COSPAR).
3. Commercial activities: China launched a communications 
satellite "APSTAR VI" into orbit in April 2005. In December 2004, China signed a 
commercial contract for a communications satellite with Nigeria, providing 
in-orbit delivery service to that country. In November 2005, China signed a 
commercial contract for a communications satellite with Venezuela, providing 
in-orbit delivery service and associated ground application facilities. 
Priority Cooperation Areas 
The Chinese government continuously renders support to international 
exchanges and cooperation in space technology, space application and space 
science, with priority given in the next five years to cooperation in the 
following areas:
-- Scientific research into space astronomy, space 
physics, micro-gravity science, space life science, lunar exploration and planet 
exploration;
-- Data sharing and services of Earth observation 
satellites, and application and research in the areas of resources 
investigation, environment monitoring, prevention and mitigation of disasters, 
and global climate change monitoring and forecasting;
-- Sharing of space 
TT&C network resources, and mutual provision of space TT&C 
assistance;
-- Design and manufacture of communications satellites and 
Earth observation satellites;
-- Manufacture of ground facilities and key 
components of satellite communications, remote sensing, and navigation and 
positioning;
-- Application of satellite communications and broadcasting 
in tele-education and tele-medicine, and expansion of application scope of 
satellite broadcasting and TV, and related services for satellite navigation and 
positioning;
-- Commercial satellite launching services, export of 
satellites and their components and parts, and construction and services of 
satellite ground TT&C and application facilities;
-- Exchanges and 
training of personnel in various fields of space activities.