As India stole the march over China by launching a mission to Mars, Beijing called for ‘joint efforts’ to ensure peace in outer space.
‘Outer space is shared by the entire mankind. Every country has the right to make peaceful exploration and use of outer space,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing when he was asked about India’s Mars probe.
At the same time, he said, the international community should make ‘joint efforts to ensure enduring peace and sustainable development of outer space’.
Asked whether China is apprehensive of India’s space programme, Hong said relations between the two countries are on a path of steady growth. ‘Political mutual trust between our two countries has increased and mutual cooperation has expanded,’ he said. However, the official Chinese media alleged that India is undertaking ambitious ventures to overtake the country’s space programme.
The state-run Global Times daily criticised India’s space programme, saying it sent a probe to Mars despite having millions of poor people to gain an advantage over China. ‘India has an ambitious goal of leading Asia in this area, especially having an advantage over China,’ it said.
‘Outer space is shared by the entire mankind. Every country has the right to make peaceful exploration and use of outer space,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing when he was asked about India’s Mars probe.
At the same time, he said, the international community should make ‘joint efforts to ensure enduring peace and sustainable development of outer space’.
Asked whether China is apprehensive of India’s space programme, Hong said relations between the two countries are on a path of steady growth. ‘Political mutual trust between our two countries has increased and mutual cooperation has expanded,’ he said. However, the official Chinese media alleged that India is undertaking ambitious ventures to overtake the country’s space programme.
The state-run Global Times daily criticised India’s space programme, saying it sent a probe to Mars despite having millions of poor people to gain an advantage over China. ‘India has an ambitious goal of leading Asia in this area, especially having an advantage over China,’ it said.