The March 10 edition of Global Times contained an enthusiastic editorial on the announcement earlier this week that China and Russia will be cooperating extensively in space. Under the headline “China, Russia joint lunar exploration generates high expectations,” the editorial was upbeat about the prospects.
“First, this plan is very likely to be implemented. Russia accumulated rich experience in lunar exploration during the Soviet Union era, and it has developed a strong space technology… China and Russia have the stable political conditions necessary for long-term cooperation. The cooperation will in turn strengthen bilateral strategic mutual trust and promote comprehensive cooperation in various fields.”
Global Times explained that although the U.S. Artemis program, launched in 2017, is also an international space cooperation project, China and Russia were excluded from participating in it. “China-Russia space cooperation has the conditions to achieve equal and mutual benefits, and none will dominate over the other. The Artemis program is obviously dominated by the US, and others, including the European Space Agency, play the secondary role.”