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Clinton To Ease Chinese Booster Curbs During Jiang Visit
Washington DC - October 21, 1997 - 
Washington DC - October 21, 1997 - The Clinton administration is poised to ease current U.S. restrictions on launches of American-made satellites and commercial spacecraft aboard Chinese Long March launch vehicles, Washington sources tell SpaceCast in an exclusive report. The decision will be made part of a package of trade and technological exchanges between the U.S. and Communist China and announced by President Clinton during next week's state visit of Chinese President Jiang Zemin to Washington.The decision, reached weeks ago and approved by both the State and Defense Departments, will ease Chinese commercial sales of their Long March 3A, B, C, and 2E launchers, which are capable of lifting both communications satellites to geostationary orbit and other commercial space platforms to low orbits from launch sites in China. The restrictions that remain in place will still require China to abide by the so-called "Rules of the Road" agreements that control what prices non-capitalist countries can charge customers for launch services. An earlier agreement between Washington and Beijing on commercial space launches had expired, although Vice President Gore and the U.S. Trade Representative's office had continued discussions, most recently last spring with the visitation of a Chinese negotiating team to DC. The restrictions maintained a fixed number of Chinese rockets that could be used to launch American-made satellites. Since the U.S. makes most of the communications satellites flown, the restrictions were viewed by China as significant barriers to trade. Others, however, have pointed to Chinese launch vehicle sales as means by which China could get more technology from the satellites that fly as payloads aboard their rockets. Some have suggested that China has "reversed engineered" some spacecraft packaged for launch from the Xichang Space Center, thereby learning more about satellite manufacturing and advanced technology. China has called such claims absurd, and unnecessary for the nation to advance in the technology needed for space systems. Still others have suggested that any space technology gained by China's commercial. civil space programs will find its way into China's missile programs. Advanced ICBMs and Cruise Missiles with extended ranges and guidance systems are currently under development by the Chinese military, sources have warned the administration and Congress for several years. Russia has been oft cited as a source for the advanced space technology going into China. But Russian President Boris Yeltsin has denied the accusations. CommunityEmail This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Space
Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
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