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.