Nasa chief Charles Bolden to visit Beijing
US space agency boss to attend gathering under watchful eye of US Congress which has blocked efforts to co-operate with Chinese counterparts
Nasa chief Charles Bolden will visit Beijing next week to take part in an annual gathering of space agency chiefs, although he avoided saying whether he would meet his Chinese counterparts.
Direct contact between the two sides is carefully watched by US congressional lawmakers, suspicious that co-operation could give Beijing an opportunity to steal technology.
Bolden, the administrator of the American space agency, said in Tokyo yesterday he would visit Beijing on September 27 to attend the last day of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC).
"In China we will be meeting with the heads of international partners of the International Space Station [ISS], as well as the heads of some space agencies that don't participate, but with whom we have partnership," he said.
Bolden did not respond directly when the South China Morning Post in a media conference call asked about collaboration between US and China in such areas as manned space flights. "We also support any nation that seeks peaceful utilisation of space, and that goes to everyone," he said.
The visit would be Bolden's second. In 2010, he led a small delegation to China and spent six days visiting facilities, such as the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, and held discussions with national space authorities.
In a statement released after that visit, Bolden said: "I believe that my delegation's visit to China … can form the basis for further dialogue and co-operation in a manner that is consistent with the national interests of both of our countries."