Xi's remarks on boosting int'l cooperation in space exploration

A Long March-5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-5 spacecraft, blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of southern island province of Hainan, Nov. 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The world marks its International Day of Human Space Flight on Monday. Here are some key remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to encourage Chinese space scientists and boost international cooperation in space exploration.

Photo taken by the rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2) on Jan. 11, 2019 shows the lander of the Chang'e-4 probe. (China National Space Administration/Handout via Xinhua)

Feb. 20, 2019

Xi met representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the research and development of the Chang'e-4 mission at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

-- Xi called on science and technology workers and space engineers in China to ride on the wave of the Chang'e-4 mission to achieve the general goal of China's lunar project, make more efforts to push forward the international aerospace cause and bring more Chinese wisdom, solutions and force to the peaceful use of space and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

-- Xi pointed out that exploring the vast universe is a common dream of all humankind. China has been actively advancing international space cooperation and carried out productive cooperation with multiple countries and international organizations. The complete success of the Chang'e-4 mission, for instance, includes contributions of many countries.

Scientific researchers take out the container loaded with moon samples from the returner of Chang'e-5 probe in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 17, 2020.(Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Dec. 17, 2020

Xi hailed the complete success of the Chang'e-5 mission that brought back the country's first samples collected from the moon.

-- Noting that there is no end for space exploration, Xi expressed the hope that those who have participated in the Chang'e-5 mission will carry forward the lunar exploration spirit of pursuing dreams, daring to explore, collaborating in tackling difficulties and win-win cooperation, and start new interplanetary exploration, so as to contribute more to building China's strength in aerospace, and achieving national rejuvenation, the peaceful use of space and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Aerial photo taken on March 31, 2021 shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) under maintenance in southwest China's Guizhou Province.(Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

Feb. 5, 2021

Xi made a three-day inspection trip to southwest China's Guizhou Province on Feb. 3-5. During the trip, Xi met with the project leaders and core scientists of China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, and called on scientists to scale the heights of global science.

-- He called the scientists to make new and greater contributions to developing China's scientific and technological strength at a faster pace and realizing the country's self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.

FAST, which is tasked with the ultimate goal of revealing more about the universe, has been available to scientists across the world since April 1, 2021. In the first year of the telescope's opening to the global scientific community, about 10 percent of the observation time will be allocated to foreign scientists.

Technical personnel monitor the rendezvous and docking of the ascender of China's Chang'e-5 probe with the orbiter-returner combination at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 6, 2020.(Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Feb. 22, 2021

Xi met representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the research and development of the Chang'e-5 lunar mission at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

-- Xi stressed promoting the lunar exploration spirit and giving full play to the advantages of the new system of pooling national resources and strengths to ascend the peak of science and technology and serve the country's overall development. He emphasized embarking on a new interplanetary exploration journey step by step, promoting the innovative development of China's space exploration cause, and making greater contributions to humanity's peaceful use of space.

-- He also stressed actively conducting international cooperation and making better contributions to humanity's well-being.