Source: Xinhuanet

10-12-2006 10:34

BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- 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 MultilateralCooperation 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 OPUOS) 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, Chinasigned a commercial contract for a communications satellite with Venezuela, providing in-orbit delivery service and associated ground application facilities, said the white paper.

 

Editor:Sun Luying