At 5:17 pm Beijing Time on Thursday, Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, successfully blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The spacecraft, carrying three astronauts, entered its designated orbit, and the Shenzhou-20 crew embarked on a six-month journey into space. Fifty-five years earlier, on April 24, China’s first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong-1, was launched, heralding the nation’s entry into space. From the first spark of Dongfanghong to the lunar explorations of Chang’e, from Shenzhou’s “space ferry” to Tiangong’s “space home,” China’s space program has demonstrated over more than half a century that Earth’s gravity cannot constrain humanity’s dream-chasing strides, nor can blockades halt China’s path of independent innovation.
For years, certain countries have imposed stringent sanctions and suppressive measures on China’s space efforts in an attempt to curb its progress. Yet the facts have shown that these blockades did not stop China; instead, they have compelled China to accelerate its efforts in independent innovation. When the NASA administrator repeatedly approached the Chinese side, expressing a desire to “borrow” lunar soil, the awkwardness of the Wolf Amendment was laid bare. This situation vividly demonstrates that whether in high-tech or economic arenas, “small yard and high fence” or “decoupling and supply chains disruption” are no panacea for an “America First” agenda. The iron chains of blocking other nations have always been a double-edged sword: in the short term, they may stem the outward flow of advanced technologies; in the long term, they risk ensnaring their wielder, locking them out of innovation and international cooperation.
The charm of China’s space program lies not only in its technological breakthroughs but also in its openness to cooperation as a major country. On the 10th “China Space Day,” two significant announcements were made. One is that China will select and train Pakistani astronauts for space missions, bringing foreign astronauts closer to joining the “Shenzhou mission team.” The other is that the China National Space Administration announced the results of international applications to borrow lunar samples collected during the country’s Chang’e-5 mission, and applications from seven institutions across six countries were approved. Five of them from five countries signed the Lunar Sample Loan Agreement on site.
Last year, during the Chang’e-6 mission to sample the far side of the moon, four international payloads were carried, including a RadoN detector from France, a lunar surface negative ion analyzer from the European Space Agency, a laser angle reflector from Italy, and a cube satellite from Pakistan. Over the years, China has initiated and led multilateral cooperative projects, such as the International Lunar Research Station, the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation, and the Belt and Road Initiative Space Information Corridor. These initiatives, along with China’s contributions like the MisrSat-2 satellite supporting African agricultural modernization and the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite providing critical data for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, have created numerous collaborative platforms in space. These platforms allow more countries to share development opportunities and highlight China’s image as a responsible major country.
An astrophysicist told CNN that “The way that things are in the world at the moment is increasingly complex – but it’s important that this outreach and collaborative spirit is maintained.” This is a valid point; some of humanity’s greatest achievements, including space exploration, are often the result of collaborative efforts. Relying on individual efforts and creating closed and exclusive “small circles” will ultimately not lead to significant advancements. Unlike the space development of certain countries, which has its roots in the Cold War and is heavily marked by military heritage, China’s practices of peaceful space utilization align with the global trends of multipolarity and economic globalization. Guided by the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China’s space endeavors are destined to go further and welcome more partners along the way.
The vastness of space does not belong to any one country; the brilliant stars shine with the light of multilateralism. Currently, issues such as space debris, asteroid threats, the risk of spacecraft collisions, and the allocation of orbital resources are common challenges that humanity faces and require urgent international cooperation to explore solutions.
We hope that relevant countries can set aside prejudices, abandon zero-sum games, and uphold the principles of openness, cooperation, and sharing, working hand in hand with China to promote the development of human space endeavors. Let the Shenzhou spacecraft carry the dreams of all humanity, flying higher and farther. This philosophy and action are not limited to the field of space; let us use space exploration as a starting point to sow the seeds of respect for multilateralism and win-win cooperation in broader fields. GT
