[FPSPACE] China and space cooperation

[DwayneDay]

Taylor Dinerman has an interesting article in this week's The Space Review.

Dinerman proposes that the US engage China in international space cooperation, but suggests that such an approach should be made through Japan, which he notes has much in common with China (such as sharing similar ecological concerns).

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/212/1

I think there's an interesting idea here, although it raises some questions.  First, is Japan's relationship with China better than the US relationship with China?  I know that there is still lingering resentment among the Chinese for World War II.  Second, and closely related to this, the Chinese might prefer to be directly approached by the US rather than China.  After all, if they are seeking respect on the international stage, then they would probably view it as an insult to be approached by Japan rather than the superpower itself.

Unfortunately, there remains a big lack of consensus in the US over what to do about China.  Some are enthusiastic about closer ties, some wary, and some totally opposed.  And Dinerman makes the insightful observation that a big problem in the US is the lingering belief in the US that China's ICBM program was aided by collaboration with US satellite firms in the 1990s.




DDAY