So what? China has only completed three manned missions in their entire history. Since 2005, they’ve only managed one launch every three years. And that’s using a Shenzhou capsule derived from 45-year old Russian technology.

Whoop-dee-freaking-doo.

I would not characterize China as a potential partner with “deep pockets”. China’s economy is in an increasingly bad position, it suffers from deep internal divisions that are a huge drag on budgets, and geopolitically it has few good (if any) options.

Nonsense. But you’ve already demonstated poor judgment on matters relating to space policy. THe PRC has climbed a long way in two decades. America, not so much. But you go ondenying the obvious and keep whistling past that graveyard. You, too, Smitty.

If you hadn’t used the word “China” there I could’ve sworn you were talking about the USA!!

In any case, ther amendment has no effect on ISS partners’ conversations with China’s space leadership.

Hard to figure you out. Sometimes you think too clearly to be classified as a liberal.

I would not characterize China as a potential partner with “deep pockets”. China’s economy is in an increasingly bad position, it suffers from deep internal divisions that are a huge drag on budgets, and geopolitically it has few good (if any) options. (See link to analysis below.) After Europe, China is probably the biggest threat to the ongoing global economic recovery. The rate at which China has been able to fund it’s human space flight program has been very slow and is unlikely to accelerate for the foreseeable future.

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/state-world-assessing-chinas-strategy?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20120306&utm_term=gweekly&utm_content=readmore&elq=f482bd9d699148cc8eca8ab83e0aab09

Time to get real. China is as capitalist as we are, and within a decade China’s GDP will exceed that of the US. >>

I dont know that I agree with either of those.

The Chinese are no more capitalist then the Santorum crowd is for religious freedom…as for the Reds GDP…lets see. I think that their economy is about to well “slump” RGO

Umm, except for that small matter of a currency peg. If the market determined the value of the yuan many of the imbalances that plague the world economy would disappear. What is unreal is this generation’s unwillingness to confront the darker side of the rise of China.

and the Shenzou is so far more reliable than the Soyuz.

It’s only flown manned three. Nobody from the west has ever inspected it. An absurd claim. Of course they have flown dummies more often. Perhaps we could crew ISS with them. No one would be the wiser.

The real rivalry between the US and China is in manufacturing and exports

The real rivalry is for military technology. We have more to lose, the chicoms have more to gain.

The most important thing we can do for world stability is to build trust and understanding between our countries, and hopefully avoid a new cold war.

Tell that to Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, and Taiwan who are exposed to China’s extravagant territorial claims. The cold war is already here. A lot of people are just in denial, or hope to make a few bucks.