A post by Italian ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on her social media account from the International Space Station was a quote from Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi in his Preface to Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, written nearly 1,700 years ago: “Looking up, I see the immensity of the cosmos, bowing my head, I look at the multitude of the world. The gaze flies, the heart expands, the joy of the senses can reach its peak, and indeed, this is true happiness.”
While Cristoforetti was flying on the International Space Station, which under present U.S. Administration policies restricts Chinese taikonauts from participating, this Chinese missive from space has caused a flurry in the present environment of “geopolitical jockeying” in space. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning said at her briefing on Oct. 13:
“I have read about it, too, and the Italian astronaut certainly has my liking. Exploring the universe has been mankind’s dream since ancient times. Thanks to scientific and technological progress, reaching beyond the Moon has become a reality. Humanity will continue to benefit from the noble endeavor of exploration and peaceful use of space.
“Just a few days ago we also saw a video clip shared online showing the magnificence of our blue planet Earth seen from China’s space station. Countries around the world can and need to work together to look after the planet we all call home and make the world a better place for all.”
