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China-Russia space cooperation: another small step in Beijing’s pursuit of US?
- Nations to work together in areas including space exploration, aerospace components and potential compatibility of BeiDou and Glonass satellites
- China can gain Russia’s deep-space expertise while Russia needs Chinese research funding, observer says
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Beijing and Moscow have announced an expansion of their cooperation in space exploration and related technologies, boosting their alliance as the China-US rivalry continues.
Their cooperation was announced on Wednesday during China’s mission to land a spacecraft on the moon to collect rock and soil samples, advancing Beijing’s claims to challenge the supremacy of the United States’ space programme.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin announced a joint communique via their video conference on Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua reported, adding that the two premiers also expressed their willingness to enhance cooperation in the research and development of vaccines and medicines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Russia on Thursday reported more than 28,000 new Covid-19 cases, its highest single-day tally. Its 2.3 million-plus reported cases is the fourth-highest total behind Brazil, India and the United States.
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China space control juggling with at least three space missions since Chang’e 5 launch
China space control juggling with at least three space missions since Chang’e 5 launch
The communique said Russia and China would expand their cooperation in lunar and deep-space exploration, satellite communication technology, aerospace components and Russia’s proposed Spektr-M scientific satellite.
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