China Signs 16 International Space Cooperation Agreements, Memorandums

DRAGON SPACE

Over the past five years, China has signed many cooperation agreements on the peaceful use of outer space and space project cooperation agreements.

by Staff Writers
Beijing (XNA) Oct 12, 2006
China has signed 16 international space cooperation agreements and memorandums with 13 countries, space agencies and international organizations over the past five years, said a white paper titled "China's Space Activities in 2006" and released by the Information Office of the State Council on Thursday.

The white paper said 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.

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 Commission, and has established space cooperation subcommittee or joint commission mechanisms with Brazil, France, Russia and Ukraine, the white paper said.

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.

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, the white paper said.

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, the white paper said.

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, said the white paper.

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, said the white paper.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

SPACE TRAVEL Energia President Outlines Kliper Goals As ISS Support Powers Along NASA Announces Aeronautics Competition NASA Scientist Shares Nobel Prize for Physics Space Foundation Comment On The National Space Policy	MARSDAILY Spirit Studies Layers of Volcanic Rock Human Mars Missions Face Unsolved Technical Challenges Opportunity Set To Clock Up Six Miles On Mars NASA Spots Opportunity In Stunning MRO Image Of Victoria Crater
LAUNCH PAD Ariane 5 ECA Launch A Success: DIRECTV 9S And OPTUS D1 In Orbit ILS Begins Next Launch Campaign Lockheed Martin Completes Sale Of International Launch Services Metop To Be Launched On 17 October	EARTH OBSERVATION Deimos And Surrey Satellite Technology Contract For Spanish Imaging Mission NASA Satellite Data Helps Assess the Health of Florida's Coral Reef Alcatel Alenia Space To Build SIRAL-2 Radar Altimeter For CryoSat-2 Earth from Space: The French Frigate Shoals
OUTER PLANETS New Horizons Spacecraft Snaps Approach Image of the Giant Planet Does The Atmosphere Of Pluto Go Through The Fast-Freeze Changing Seasons On The Road Trip To Planet Nine Surprises From The Edge Of The Solar System	STELLAR CHEMISTRY Super Snowballs A Film Of The Heavens Are Asteroids Comets And Planets Cut From Same Cloth Celestial Siblings Offer Evidence Of Stellar Formation Long Ago
MOON DAILY In Space Everyone Can Hear You Misspeak NASA Seeks Undergrads To Experiment In Lunar And Zero Gravity NASA Opens New Door To Exploration Indian Moon Mission To Launch By Early 2008	GPS NEWS Boeing Delivers Hardware And Completes Software Testing For GPS Flies In A Spider Web: Galaxy Caught In The Making Lockheed Martin And ITT Announce Alliance For GPS 3 Space Segment Competition Raytheon Awarded Further Jam-Resistant GPS Contract

The contents herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2005 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy statement