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China's manned space program-international cooperation is necessary in the peaceful use of space

China has launched its first manned spaceship "Shenzhou V" and succeed to put it into orbit. It landed in the morning on 16th. This success made China the third country which could aquire the technology of manned space flight after Russia and US.

One of China's purpose is said to boost its national prestige. Some technical hurdles surely have to be won in order to send men into space through its own efforts. It will highten its national prestige that China won them.

But more than 30 years have passed since US and Russia were in fierce competition for manned space flight. More than 400 people have went to space in the world.

The China's spacecraft was said to be Russia's Soyuuz Type. Although China's original technology is put into it, no new ideal way of manned space flight was proposed and there was nothing fresh.

On the other hand, the political and economical impact which China's manned space flight gave to the international society was great. China's space development began in the middle of 50'. Its army mainly had done it and it was said that its missile technology was diverted into its rocket technology. Manned space flight is an extension of this and it is pointed out that military meaning is great for this spaceflight. It is supposed that China aims to put a check on the monopoly of space development by US.

Although China emphasizes a peaceful use, it is worrysome that its launching antagonizes US and other asian countries such as India in the field of military. In order to avoid excessive reaction, China should disclose as much information about it as possible. Other countries have to correspond calmly.

Internationally, space has entered the era of commercial use. China begun the contract business to launch satelites of other countries in early 90s. It is said that China has contracted more than 20 satelites and it aims at enlarging its share in the international market.

It is suggested that China aims at appealling its reliability of rocket technology by realization of manned space flight and gainining supremacy for the business of launching satelites. It is effective for hightening China's brand in not only space technology but also whole science technology.

At present Japan has no plan on manned space flight. But it isn't meaningful to haste to go into the competition of manned space flight Japan's space development is essentially different from China's army-led one.

Actually it should be reconsidered that Japan's space development has proceeded without clear vision like China.

From now on,Japan has to go ahead its own way confidently with clear vision including realization of more reliable and lower cost satelite launching system.

There is no problem about the importance of maintaining and developing manned space flight technology. But it is not just a one-country's problem. It is desirable that China's manned space flight should be a good opportunity to reconsider the new international cooperation for a peaceful use of space