Global Times Editorial Celebrates, ‘Lunar Probe, Eliminating Poverty, China Did Both’

Dec. 20, 2020 (EIRNS)—With justified pride, a Dec. 17 editorial in China’s Global Times celebrated that, in 2020, China had both eliminated absolute poverty and sent a successful mission to the Moon and back.

“The Chang’e-5 capsule carrying rocks and soil from the moon landed safely on Earth early on Thursday. This mirrors China’s comprehensive technological progress. Of course, it is not the only pride for China’s 2020. In November, the last few impoverished counties, all in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, have eliminated absolute poverty, a decisive improvement of China’s goal to achieve a moderately prosperous society in all respects...

“With a limited budget, China has multiple tasks at the same time—it has to encourage developing high-tech abilities, expand room and provide driving forces for social advancement, at the same time strive to improve people’s livelihood, and input social fairness into the top design of national strategies.”

The editorial goes on to report that some have criticized China for allegedly “investing excessive resources to fields such as aerospace.” But, they respond,

“A technology-centered national strategy and people-oriented economic development have highly integrated. In the past few decades, the Chinese people have been developing the aerospace field, but their livelihood has also been improving. The lunar exploration project is not a political vanity project—it is well within the ability of Chinese society. The progress in high-tech areas such as aerospace has pushed up China’s strategic competitiveness overall. At the same time, people are living better lives. Without the advancement in high-tech areas, China’s prosperity would lack the backbone and long-term guarantee.”

The editorial concluded: “We need to travel to space step by step, and our good, fair and just social governance will provide strength for this. Our ambitions and dreams will encourage perseverance. Chang’e-5 is just the beginning.”