China Congratulates India on Chandrayaan-2 Launch, Offers To Collaborate in Space Exploration

July 23, 2019 (EIRNS)—In today’s press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying offered congratulations to India on the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-2 lunar probe.

“The exploration and utilization of outer-space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies,” she said,

“is the common cause for mankind and should serve the common good of mankind. China has been committed to the peaceful use of outer-space and actively conducted relevant international communication and cooperation. We stand ready to work with India and other relevant parties to make contributions to the exploration of outer-space and bringing benefits to humankind.”

RT and other media make the obvious point that were China and India to collaborate on space exploration or a mission to the Moon, it would provide an opportunity for both powers to repair their relations.

The Hindu Business Line today quoted Wu Weiren, chief of China’s lunar exploration program, who also congratulated India on its launch success, and emphasized that while China is actively pursuing its own Moon mission, it is not in competition with any other nation planning their own space missions. China is paying close attention to other nations’ space endeavors, Wu stressed, but added that the “international trend will not play a decisive role in China’s planning on its lunar missions, and China is not going to compete with anyone on the matter.”

Wu also indicated that Chinese scientists are conducting feasibility studies on sending astronauts to the Moon, which he said, “won’t be too much of a problem.” But he offered no details as for a timetable for such a mission.