China seeks international partners in space

World
Europe

01:46

The successful landing of the Chang'e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon opened a new chapter in China's lunar exploration mission. And now, the country is opening up for more international cooperation in lunar and deep space exploration.

On January 3, China's Chang'e-4 probe became the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the far side of the Moon, marking a new stage for the country's deep space exploration. It was also a step forward for China's international cooperation in space, as on Thursday, scientific data from international payloads aboard the probe was delivered to the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany in Beijing.

China delivers scientific data from international payloads aboard the probe to the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany in Beijing, April 18, 2019. /CGTN Photo

"It's not only the cooperation that we have with China in space. We have quite a few programs in the Earth observation, using satellite data for agricultural purposes, for monitoring environmental conditions and so on. Those are the programs we are very much looking forward to continuing and expanding in the future," Dutch Counselor for Science and Technology Taake Manning told CGTN.

China National Space Administration (CNSA) also invited international partners for cooperation on the Chang'e-6 mission and an asteroid exploration mission.

According to Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of CNSA, China has been trying to expand cooperation with international space research institutions. They have already signed agreements in lunar and deep space exploration with dozens of countries, including Russia and France.

The landing of the Chang'e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon was China's latest milestone in space exploration. China is becoming a major space power, but it also wants international collaborations as it outlines the roadmap ahead.