US Downplays China's Manned space Program

US Downplays China's Manned Program

Washington (AFP) November 22, 1999 - The United States on Monday downplayed China's debut space launch, seen as more of a national prestige-booster than a leap in military capabilities.

"This test ... does represent a techincal achievement, but does not demonstrate new capabilities of direct military significance," said US State Department spokesman James Rubin.

China deployed four tracking ships ahead of its first "man rated" spacecraft launch and retrevial. Image provided by Andrewe Yee

Chinese papers championed the 21-hour, 14-orbit flight of the "Shenzhou" space craft as beneficial to resolving such difficulties as diminishing resources, environmental degradation and a population crisis.

"The road to manned space flight is long and is a huge undertaking that is full of risks," the leading People's Daily said in an editorial on the return of the unmanned space capsule Sunday.

"But the price for the future of mankind and our country's politics, military, economy and science and technology will be hugely influential," the daily added.

One Western diplomat based in Beijing acknowledged the launch was "a major accomplishment of Chinese science and technology."

But, he added, "This above all else is a national prestige thing."

Rubin said the spacecraft had been based on a Russian Soyuz, with China having "developed the rest of the technology to perform this launch indigenously."

The US National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration officials had no comment on the launch beyond acknowledging that China had launched their space flight and have had an active space program for the past 25 years.

"We acknowledge they conducted this activity over the weekend," said Rob Navias, a Texas-based NASA spokesman.

"They have launched satellites and have been active in their own space program for the better part of 25 years."

A POWERFUL DRAGON
Russia To Help China's Manned Program
Moscow (AFP) October 18, 1999 - Moscow (AFP) October 18, 1999 - Russia is ready to cooperate with China on the country's first manned space mission, the director of the Russian Space Agency Yury Koptev said Monday, cited by the Interfax news agency.