DATE=11/22/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / SPACE (L-O)
NUMBER=2-256422
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  China's national pride over the weekend's successful 
first space launch was reflected Monday in the media 
throughout the country.  V-O-A's Stephanie Ho reports, in 
addition to being a demonstration of China's growing 
technological prowess, some Chinese experts say the space 
flight also has major military implications.

TEXT:  With the successful return of the unmanned space 
vehicle Shenzhou, which means Divine Ship, China moves 
nearer to its goal of becoming the third country to send 
humans into space.

Chinese newspaper headlines Monday hailed the shuttle as 
bringing glory to the country.  The space flight dominated 
the front page of the Communist party's main newspaper, the 
People's Daily.  A sidebar story urged "promote space flight 
and bring glory to the nation."

A photo caption on the front page of the official English-
language China Daily read "Landmark launch shakes the 
world."

Other newspapers carried special editions on Monday, with 
details of the mission, as well as pictures of Shenzhou in 
orbit and the capsule after it touched down early Sunday 
morning in Inner Mongolia.

National pride was not the only focus.  Chinese papers also 
raised the issue of how the technology needed for the space 
launch can also be used for military purposes.

The state-run China Business Times quoted military expert 
Song Yichang as saying the launch is proof Beijing has 
mastered technology that could enable it to overcome U-S 
anti-missile defenses.

Mr. Song told the newspaper the same low-power propulsion 
technology used to adjust a space crafts's orbit in flight 
could also be used to alter the path of offensive missiles.  

The report said having this ability is equivalent to being 
able to counter T-M-D - a regional theater missile defense 
system that the U-S and Japanese governments are exploring.

China has vehemently opposed T-M-D, saying it could spark a 
costly and dangerous arms race.  It also fears T-M-D 
technology could be passed on to Taiwan.

The China Business Times report did not clearly explain how 
information from Shenzhou's flight could be used for Chinese 
missiles.  But it said a manned space flight could provide a 
large amount of practical data on low-power rocket 
propulsion technology.

The Chinese leadership decided in 1992 to begin the 
country's space program.  China is striving to join the 
former Soviet Union and the United States in the exclusive 
club of countries that have put humans in space.

China is expected to carry out more unmanned test space 
flights before it launches a vehicle carrying astronauts.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/HO/FC



22-Nov-1999 04:53 AM EDT (22-Nov-1999 0953 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.