China 'Shocked' at U.S. Cold Shoulder in Space

Reuters via My Yahoo! ^ | 4-27-2004 | Broward Liston

[Pharmboy]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The Chinese, who launched their first astronaut into space last year, are "shocked" the United States has not welcomed them into the tight-knit community of space-faring nations, a leading U.S. expert said on Tuesday.

Joan Johnson-Freese, who chairs the National Security Decision Making Department at the U.S. Naval War College, said one space official she met on a recent trip to China was in tears as he pleaded for U.S. recognition and cooperation.

"They are shocked that the U.S. is not reaching out to them. They want very much to work with the United States," she said.

The Chinese went so far as to build a docking ring onto their Shenzhou spacecraft that would allow it to park at the $95 billion International Space Station (news - web sites), said Johnson-Freese.

Their launch complex in Inner Mongolia is on the same parallel as NASA (news - web sites)'s Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites), which would allow them to share an orbit with the ISS.

Johnson-Freese was a featured speaker at the 41st Space Congress in Cape Canaveral.

After the Chinese became the third nation after the former Soviet Union and the United States to launch a human into space last October, they expected Washington to become more open.

That expectation ran into a wall of U.S. suspicion that the Chinese program, which is under military control, could someday pose a threat to the U.S. domination in satellites used for military communications, reconnaissance and tracking.

But where the United States is reluctant, others will not be, Johnson-Freeze said.

"The Europeans are eager to work with them," she said. China is already participating in the European Union (news - web sites)'s Galileo constellation, a rival to the U.S. Global Positioning System.

"The rest of the world clearly sees the U.S. as space dominant. This scares a lot of other countries. They see us as having the sword and the shield," said Johnson-Freese.

Many experts in Europe and the United States doubt the Chinese are capable in the short term of competing with the United States in space, although both nations have stated goals of building moon bases and continuing on to Mars.

But Johnson-Freese warned that if the U.S. falters, the nation could undergo something similar to the "Sputnik shock" experienced after the Soviets became the first to launch a satellite into Earth orbit.

"What if, in 10 years, the Chinese are on their way to the moon and the U.S. effort is diminishing. Would that be acceptable to the U.S. public? I don't think so," she said.

[Pharmboy]

[she] said one space official she met on a recent trip to China was in tears as he pleaded for U.S. recognition and cooperation.

Get ahold of yourself, man. See if shooting some Tianeman Sq. demonstrators will calm you down.

[Blzbba]

"They want very much to work with the United States,"


Given their success in acquiring American satellite technology thru Bill Clintax, I can hardly blame them for wanting more, More, MORE!!

[Tacis]

Well, the good side of this report is that it indicates that Willie didn't sell the Chicoms EVERYTHING they needed to surpass us on every dimension.

Alas, it also means that, in order that Hille will be in a position to correct the shopping ommissions, the Chicoms will be sending her tons of unmarked, untraceable cash for her campaign. With Foster gone, maybe the bag man she uses will make some mistakes.

[kidd]

IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU WHINE

[quantim]

Somebody mention Taiwan?

[Poohbah]

IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU WHINE

Quick, load John Kerry onto the next Shuttle launch :o)

[lormand]

"They want very much to steel from work with the United States," she said"

[Crazieman]

I must be getting soft, I almost felt sorry for them.

[A. Patriot]

Maybe if China stops threatenting to NUKE us, we would be nicer to them.

[Centurion2000]

"They are shocked that the U.S. is not reaching out to them. They want very much to work with the United States," she said.

"They are shocked that the U.S. is not reaching out to them. They want very much to work with steal space research from the United States," she said.

Sorry ... had to correct that.

[RoseofTexas]

Heehhehe...you bad :)

[Joe Brower]

Seems the Chinese are always "shocked" about something, especially anything regarding the U.S.

[detsaoT]

National Security Decision Making Department

Whoa! We have a National Security Decision Making Department? Why am I always the last person to hear about this stuff?

(Did Reuters translate this article directly from the Chinese People's Daily or something? What gives?)

[kdot]

Stop! You're killing me! I laughed so hard my daughter wanted to know what was so funny. After the A/C thread regarding the heat wave in France, and the Ted Koppel/AlfredZ pictures, I've had my fill. One more Lurch pic and I'm going to be committed. Hmm, a State Pen. Freeper community.....

[Wissa]

Did Reuters translate this article directly from the Chinese People's Daily or something? What gives?)

I thought Reuters and the Chinese People's Daily were one and the same.

[AmericaUnited]

"They are shocked that the U.S. is not reaching out to them. They want very much to work with the United States," she said.

HELLO CHINA, REMEMBER THE SURVEILLANCE PLANE INCIDENT??!! NO? WELL WE DID"NT.

[skinkinthegrass]

Well, the good side of...make some mistakes.

..given their recent (Chicoms) behavior, at the beginning of GWB term, the Chinese Shoot-down in '01...and then the Chinagate $$$$...Why are they complaining?

[SevenDaysInMay]

Our space alien handlers don't want a Godless fascist government messing up off-world operations.

The Cultural Revolution was Communist China's second chance at killing tens of millions of people. They must not be forgiven, on earth or in space, no matter the deal$ with the Clintons' DNC-Politburo.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.

Blzbba,


Given their success in acquiring American satellite technology thru Bill Clintax, I can hardly blame them for wanting more, More, MORE!!"


If I were President, I'd warn the ChiComs that ANY manned excusion into Space would be targeted by U.S. Anti-Satellite weapons ... just as a response for their 2001 P3 Incident ... and allowing their North Korean war-dogs to threated the entire South East Asian sub-content with Nuclear War.


Patton@Bastogne

.

[ColoradoAce]

She was in tears?! This is crap, they are so far behind that they are using the old "buying the rope that hangs them" technique. Hey ChiComs.....welcome to the 1950's.