A spokesperson for the China National Space Administration (CNSA) expressed confusion and refuted recent claims by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns that China lacks interest in collaborating with the U.S. on lunar exploration. The CNSA argues that it is the U.S., not China, responsible for the strained collaboration, labeling Burns’ statements as an attempt to shift blame and smear China.
Burns had asserted that China showed limited interest in working with the U.S. on space collaboration, citing it as a “contested area.” In response, CNSA spokesperson Xu Hongliang emphasized China’s open and inclusive attitude toward exchanges, welcoming researchers worldwide to apply for lunar samples.
Xu raised concerns about the U.S. citing the Wolf Amendment, restricting cooperation with China, despite claiming to seek collaboration. Professor Kang Guohua of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics noted the contradictory logic, where the U.S. refuses to share technology with China but expects reciprocal sharing.
The history of space cooperation between the two nations has faced interruptions, with the Wolf Amendment in 2011 leading to a halt in exchanges. China, however, remains supportive of bilateral space collaboration without imposing restrictions.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry called for the U.S. to abolish relevant legislation and cease making irresponsible statements if genuine cooperation is desired. This exchange follows NASA’s recent exception to the Wolf Amendment, allowing scientists it funds to apply for access to China’s lunar samples returned by the Chang’e-5 mission.
While the move opens a possibility for cooperation, NASA clarified that it pertains specifically to the Chang’e-5 mission samples, maintaining the overall prohibition on bilateral activities with China. The U.S. science community’s desperate calls to lift the cooperation ban have drawn criticism, with some accusing NASA of hypocrisy.
Experts point out the U.S.’s keen interest in China’s lunar samples, given that the U.S. last retrieved lunar samples in the 1970s. China’s advancing lunar exploration program poses a challenge to the U.S.’s claim as a world leader in aerospace technology.
The CNSA, with over 170 cooperation agreements or MOUs with 50 countries, challenges accusations of non-collaboration. The U.S.-imposed regulations on China are viewed as self-imposed shackles hindering its own development, according to analysts.