Mr Chairman,
First of all, allow me to congratulate you on your reelection as the chair of the 58th session of the COPUOS on behalf of the Chinese delegation. I’m confident that under your able leadership, this meeting will be a great success. I also thank Ms Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA and her team for the great deal of efforts made to prepare for this session. The Chinese delegation appreciates and associates itself with the statement by Chile on behalf of G77 and China.
Mr Chairman,
Over the past year, China’s space program continued its rapid development, with numerous new achievements in areas such as satellite launch, manned spaceflight and lunar exploration program. In 2014, China carried out 16 rocket launches which successfully sent 24 space vehicles into space. China’s manned spaceflight program entered the new phase of space lab and space station research and manufacturing, with Tiangong 2 space lab scheduled for launch in 2016. Manned spaceship and cargo spaceship will be launched to dock Tiangong 2. In addition, Chang’e 5-T1 test capsule， independently developed by China， successfully reentered Earth at high speed, laying a solid foundation for the advancement of our lunar exploration program.
At the same time, China’s capabilities to apply space technology have improved significantly. In China, space technology is widely applied in areas such as meteorology, oceanology, disaster mitigation and prevention and environment monitoring, contributing significantly to economic and social development. China’s high resolution satellite Gaofen-2 has been put into service, ushering in a new era in which our remote sensing satellites are able to provide sub meter level images. China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System, or COMPASS, has been included in the Global Radio Navigation System by the IMO. With the successful launch of its first new generation navigation satellite, COMPASS made the first step of its global expansion, transforming itself from a system operated at the regional level to a global one. In disaster mitigation and disaster relief, China has provided, under the framework of CHARTER, remote sensing satellite data when Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu, Chile and Nepal were hit by major natural disasters, thus significantly contributing to the global disaster mitigation efforts.
Mr Chairman,
The Chinese government always believes that, countries should build on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful uses and shared development to strengthen international exchange and cooperation in outer space affairs. In particular, assistance should be provided to developing countries to help them enhance their space technology application capabilities, so that all countries and all populations can share the benefits of exploration and use of outer space.
In the area of bilateral cooperation, the Chinese government is committed to practical cooperation with all countries. In 2014, China National Space Administration (CNSA) signed 11 bilateral cooperation agreements, 4 MOUs and 3 space cooperation programs with France, Germany, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Italy, etc. As a result of pragmatic efforts to move forward bilateral cooperation projects under the framework of bilateral cooperation agreements, joint research and development of SVOM and CFOSAT by China and France is advancing smoothly, and China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite CBERS-4 was successfully launched. During the first half of 2015, China has signed 6 bilateral cooperation agreements and 3 space cooperation programs with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Mexico and India.
In the area of multilateral cooperation, the Chinese government is engaged in active exchange and cooperation with international space-related organizations and national space agencies to share space experience and address common challenges. In Nov 2014, together with the UN and the APSCO (Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization), the Chinese government co-hosted a symposium on space law in which 200 participants from 32 countries and international organizations had a comprehensive and deepened exchange of views and discussions on topics such as space law and policy development, space law and business activities, national space legislation experience and outlook, etc. The symposium played an important role in building developing countries’ space law capacities and advancing national space legislation.
Thanks to the support of the Chinese government, the new Asia-Pacific Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education affiliated to the UN was inaugurated on 17 Nov 2014. Hosted by Beihang University, the new Regional Centre offers yet another important platform for space technology and space law cooperation. Since its inauguration half a year ago, the Regional Centre at Beihang University has spared no effort to move forward its work in various fields: the admission of oversea students for academic year 2015 has been completed by now; a short-term training course on space law is scheduled for October 2015; and a postgraduate program will be launched in 2016. I’m pleased to announce that there will be a lunch time event organized by the Chinese delegation on 17 June to inaugurate the Exhibition of Paintings on China’s Space Achievements, followed by a reception. You’re all welcome to join us in this event.
Furthermore, in areas such as lunar exploration and space debris, China has been actively seeking to carry out joint research with other countries, in the hope that such joint initiatives will improve our outer space capabilities. At the Interagency Deep Space Exploration Symposium organized at the margins of the 33rd meeting of ISECG (International Deep Space Exploration Coordination Group) held this year, China invited all interested countries to use the platform offered by Chang’e 4 to carry out joint lunar exploration and research. China’s National Space Debris Monitoring and Applications Centre inaugurated on 8 June will engage in international exchange and cooperation on space debris monitoring and emergency response.
Mr Chairman,
The long-term sustainability of outer space activities is a priority and China has always actively participated in relevant work in this area. We believe that the development of relevant guidelines should take as a starting point the actual needs of outer space activities, and strike a balance between the freedom of the use of outer space on an equal footing on the one hand, and the healthy and orderly development of outer space activities on the other. Efforts should also be made to take on board the concerns of different countries, so as to promote sustained development of space technology and application capabilities.
With regard to the joint ad hoc meeting of the UNGA First and Fourth Committees to be held this year, China has always supported this proposal, and believes that such joint initiatives can help facilitate coordination among relevant UN mechanisms and better address common risks and challenges. China hopes that the joint meeting will deal with the two topics of security and sustainable use of outer space in a balanced manner, so that all parties can have a full exchange of views on issues of interest to them.
China fully supports the UNISPACE + 50 initiatives, and stands ready to work with all countries to ensure smooth preparations for this event. China hopes that COPUOS will seize the opportunity presented UNISPACE + 50 to better plan its future work and play an even more active role in norms setting for space activities, safeguarding space order and promoting space cooperation.
Mr Chairman,
Outer space is a shared heritage of mankind. Ensuring its peaceful uses and preventing its weaponization and preventing an arms race in outer space are not only a shared interest but also a common responsibility of all countries. China consistently opposes outer space weaponization and an arms race in outer space, and believes that the international community should engage in negotiations as soon as possible to develop an outer space arms control treaty, so as to fundamentally safeguard outer space security.
Mr Chairman,
To conclude, I’d like to reiterate that China will carry forward the concept of a harmonious space, and China stands ready to make tireless efforts alongside the international community to build an outer space featuring peace, development, cooperation and rule of law.
Thank you Mr Chairman.