China Unveils Commercial Space Program

China, boasting that it is capable of putting a man in orbit, announced Wednesday a new commercial space program using its own satellites, carrier rockets and ground stations.

Western diplomats said Peking’s entry into the lucrative commercial space market was expected, but they speculated that it would be some time before the Chinese could compete with the United States and Western Europe.

The official China Daily newspaper quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Space Industry as saying that China “is capable of manufacturing and launching space shuttles as well as carrying out space travel programs.”

But spokesman Zhang Jiqing said there would be no manned flights “for some time” because of the expense, lack of practical benefits and Peking’s aversion to entering a space race with the superpowers.

“We will concentrate our efforts on projects urgently needed for developing the national economy, including launching communications, broadcasting, Earth resource survey, meteorology and other scientific experimental satellites,” Zhang said.

“Some are already under construction and will be launched soon.”