China to develop space industry for next five years
China is seeking private investors, including those from outside the country, to develop its aerospace program. China is looking forward to commercialize its satellite communications and broadcasting systems, according to an aerospace white paper the State Council Information Office released.
China’s satellite navigation system, Beidou-2, is expected to enter service in 2018, serving the “Belt and Road” region under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plan for better infrastructure connectivity across Eurasia.
President Xi Jinping has called for China to establish itself as a space power, and it has tested anti-satellite missiles, in addition to its civilian aims.
China’s space program must help protect the country’s national security, but China is dedicated to the peaceful use of space and opposes a space arms race, the government said in a policy paper issued on Tuesday.
During a media briefing at Beijing, Vice minister of China National Space Administration Wu Yanhua, told that Investment in commercial rocket development, satellite research, manufacturing and for applying aerospace technologies to public welfare are encouraged because China aims to place itself in world’s top three aerospace powers by 2030.
“After six decades of development, government investment alone is not enough to let China’s aerospace program to advance technological progress and benefit the economy and society,” Wu said. There are now fewer restrictions for non-state investors, including foreign capital, to invest in China’s aerospace research, manufacturing and services, Wu Yanhua added.
The Chinese government on the importance of spaceship program has released a policy paper on overall development strategy. Policy paper said, “China always adheres to the principle of the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and opposes the weaponization of or an arms race in outer space”.
The space program must also “meet the demands of economic, scientific and technological development, national security and social progress” but issued paper doesn’t further explained about the complete mechanism on the security part.
“Over the past 60 years of remarkable development since its space industry was established in 1956, China has made great achievements in this sphere, including the development of atomic and hydrogen bombs, missiles, man-made satellites, manned spaceflight and lunar probes,” it said.
If we go through China Space Technology, it has recently completed its space mission, when two astronauts spent 30 days aboard the Tiangong 2 space laboratory, or “Heavenly Palace 2”, which China is using to carry out experiments ahead of a longer-range plan to have a permanent manned space station around 2022.