Space.com: China Hopes For Place on Space Station

[PistolPete]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>BEIJING (AP) – China hopes to join an international space station project that already counts leading space powers like the United States and Russia as its members, a government official said Tuesday. <br /><br />China takes great pride in its expanding space program and sees it as a way to validate its claims to be one of the world's leading scientific nations. On Tuesday, state-run newspapers said China will launch its first lunar probe later this month, just weeks after regional rival Japan successfully sent a lunar satellite into orbit. <br /><br />But China does not participate in the International Space Station, due in part to American unease about allowing a communist dictatorship a place aboard. <br /><br />"We hope to take part in activities related to the international space station,"' Li Xueyong, a vice minister of science and technology. "If I am not mistaken, this program has 16 countries currently involved and we hope to be the 17th partner." <br /><br />A reporter had asked whether China in the future would be more likely to compete or cooperate with America in space. Li said China wanted to cooperate with the United States, but gave no specifics.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />LINK<br /><br />People have wondered about this since China announced its intentions to have a manned space program. A few years ago I would have said go for it. Now, after the anti-satellite test in January, I'm not so sure. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

I'm not so sure either. Maybe some disclosure on China's part would be needed. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

yeah, um...no. i dont like the idea for several reasons;<br /><br />A: the anti-sat test<br />B: touchy relationship between allies and china. <br />C: I have a feeling we're already in an early stages of something between a Cold War and a not-so-sold war with them. sharing the ISS with them at this poitn in time could work out positively.....or very negatively... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[christine16]

lol they just cant go there, they dont have shootle <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />))

 

[scottb50]

lol they just cant go there, they dont have shootle...<br /><br />They have launched and docked vehicles, I thinkthey would be very capable of doing it.<br /><br />I also think the current trend to confront those who we don't totally agree with is a wrong way to do business. We are so reliant on Chinese labor now any major problems would cause massive problems with our economy.<br /><br />The biggest problem I see is the workers in China are going to see how much they are being taken advantage of and demand a better life style. Right now they are at the same point we were a hundred years ago, a select minority of uber-rich and peasants. Eventually this will change and it will no longer be cheaper to build products and ship them long distances and still sell them cheaper then they can be built locally.<br /><br />If the Chinese want join the ISS project I would think that would be a good thing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

Just playing devil's advocate here, remember the old mafia saying "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." If we include them into the ISS then the sharing of information may allow us to stick our foot into the Chinese military-industrial complex and perhaps keep an eye on them.<br /><br />If we want to stop or at least mitigate the inevitable (cold?) war with China, then we need as much interpersonal communication between our two countries. It forces one to give pause when contemplating a war when a good friend may get killed. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[docm]

The inevitable cold war is between China and Russia, so if Uncle Vlad is being troublesome my advice would also be to keep China closer rather than push them away. <br /><br />Example of what's been circulating among the foreign policy wonks;<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><b>Worley, W. C. (2004, Mar) <br /><br />Natural Resources and Conflict: The Role of Oil in Chinese Foreign Policy<br /><br /><i>Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association, Le Centre Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada</i></b><br /><br />2006-10-05 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p73625_index.html<br /><br /><b>Publication Type:</b> Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript<br /><b>Review Method:</b> Peer Reviewed<br /> <br /><b>Abstract:</b> The purpose of this paper is to look at the role oil plays and will continue to play in Chinese-Russian relations. As is evidenced in recent events, the role of oil is becoming a significant part of foreign policy making in most states in the world. The same can be said of China. According to leading scholars, China's consumption of oil will continue to grow exponetially in the next 25 years. While China does not consume large amounts of oil now, its entrance into the WTO and decline in coal resources will make China much more reliant on oil as an energy source. This could lead to an exhausted oil supply within 35 years. Thus, China will need to get oil resources from other states in order to maintain its consumption rates. One of the most important states that China is currently dealing with is Russia. This paper will look at the current policy of China toward Russia related to oil and pipelines and argue that Sino-Russian relations could be harmed if the pipeline talks break down. <b><font color="yellow">Further, using a framework offered by Thomas Homer-Dixon, I will argue that this could lead to conflict between</font></b></p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vulture2]

The ISS program is running out of time and money. It needs a new partner with substantial resources, both financial and technical. China is the only country not already in the program that has significant logistic capability to LEO. It would also serve China's interests, which are to showcase its technology and reduce political tensions, not the baseless suggestions of a new race to the moon. <br /><br />As to the talk in the administration that somehow China can only succeed in space if they can steal secrets from us, <br />if we are going to abandon the Space Shuttle and go back to primitive solid fueled rockets we have no secrets to protect.<br /><br />I am surprised the signs are so positive considering the NASA Administrator's rather insulting snub of a Chinese invitation to visit their launch site not long ago. <br />

 

[themanwithoutapast]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The ISS program is running out of time and money. It needs a new partner with substantial resources, both financial and technical. China is the only country not already in the program that has significant logistic capability to LEO. It would also serve China's interests, which are to showcase its technology and reduce political tensions, not the baseless suggestions of a new race to the moon. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Well first, China would need to demonstrate its ability for docking a manned vehicle with another vehicle. They have not done so and are only planning to do so in 2010/2011 at the earliest. Thus, in any event, China might only be able to take part as a "visiting partner" in 2012+.

 

[alokmohan]

Chinese participation this way or that way is good for international community.

 

[vulture2]

China's rate of development in space has been relatively slow, consistent with its limited objectives, but each human spaceflight has apparently proceeded without any failures. Should it become politically advantageous to do so, the country has substantial financial resources, i.e. $1trillion in US currency reserves, and very substantial engineering, scientific and business talent. I do not know how long it would take China to demonstrate rendezvous capability, but it would not be long.

 

[acid_frost]

I don't know about this they have shown time and time again that all they do is steal technology, they aren't a technologically advanced nation, they are nation that steals technology and reverse engineers it. They haven't shown to be a responsible nation, Russia and the US are and have the largest experience though and if the US and Russia are willing and the other partners there needs to be steps taken to ensure that China is and is aware of there position and why they are there. They are there as a partner, not to steal other peoples technology and advancements.

 

[alokmohan]

Hope they get a chance.

 

[holmec]

I don't think the issue is "stealing tech" but rather having full disclosure on their space program. <br /><br />Their attitude toward human rights has to change. Space programs are all about the survival of the human race for the long long haul. And China needs to fall in line with that. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[vulture2]

The most effective way to change China's attitude toward human rights is to increase the exchange of ideas and communication with other countries. Membership in the ISS program would encourage this. As to theft of ideas, our space program is going backward; what do we have to steal, the solid-fuel rocket? Since we are abandoning the Shuttles, we may as well sell them to China.

 

[h2ouniverse]

in reply to<br />---------<br /> i.e. $1trillion in US currency reserves,<br />---------<br /><br />I am not sure they can spend this trillion in China quickly. As the Yuan is not convertible, this trillion dollar (which comes from trade surplus) is actually in chinese accounts in banks in US, Europe or Japan. (generally invested in US Treasury bonds btw). To recover it, they would need to import something (hardware or oil e.g.) from these countries and offset that internally in China. doable but takes some time...

 

[docm]

And meanwhile the banks (Federal and private) that money is sitting in get to use it for domestic economic activity. Not exactly a total minus for the US, Europe etc. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>