Space News (January 28) reported that China's State Council Information Office had on January 28 released
a new White Paper titled “China’s Space Program: A 2021 Perspective, “outlining the centrality of space to
the country’s “overall national strategy” as well as major plans for the years ahead. The Paper, which is
issued every 5 years, said the global space industry has entered a “new stage of rapid development and
profound transformation” and over the next five years China will seek to develop its space transportation
capabilities, test new technologies, embark on exploration missions, modernize space governance, enhance
innovation and boost international cooperation. Crewed lunar landings, on-orbit servicing and work on
planetary defence are all noted as key areas for research and technical breakthroughs in the coming years.
Wu Yanhua, Deputy Director of the China National Space Administration, said at a press conference on
January 28 that “China’s space industry has made rapid and innovative progress.”
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