Xi affirms importance of China’s space ambitions in milestone week for programme
- Space is a strategic asset that needs to be managed well, says president, as Tiangong station crew heads home after 90-day mission
- The safe return of the three astronauts is the latest achievement as part of the country’s ‘great rejuvenation’ plans
“Space is an important strategic asset for the country that must be well managed and utilised and, more importantly, protected,” Xi said. He also called for strengthened space traffic management and international cooperation on security issues to improve effectiveness in managing crises in space.
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Chinese astronauts return to Earth in re-entry capsule from Tiangong space station
Xi was visiting the PLA’s satellite monitoring and control centre in Xian, capital of Shaanxi province in northwest China, a crucial part of the country’s ambitious space programme. He also urged PLA officials to enhance combat readiness to build a world-class military, according to state news agency Xinhua.
China has significantly advanced its ambitious space programme in recent years as part of the country’s “great rejuvenation” by 2049 and reached another milestone on Friday with the return to Earth of the three-man crew after nearly three months in the Tianhe module, a core part of the space station which is still under construction.
When completed next year, Tiangong will be the largest infrastructure constructed and maintained by a single country in near-Earth orbit and has already been touted as a beacon of China’s space programme.
Meanwhile, an uncrewed third cargo spaceship, the Tianzhou-3, is set to depart on Monday with fuel and supplies for the space station. Another three astronauts are expected to head to the Tiangong in October for a six-month stay in orbit.