Peace underpins China's space endeavors

During the ongoing Shenzhou XI mission, astronauts will conduct three experiments designed by middle school students from the country's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including raising silkworms.

China's space missions benefit people's everyday lives. Its space programs have developed a number of top-quality and high-yield farm products that have ended up on dining tables across China.

China's manned space missions showcase an applied science program that aims to support scientific progress and economic development.

China wants to use its space program for peaceful purposes and it values sharing as a way to benefit all of humanity.

In 2011, the central government issued a white paper on China's space program, which highlighted its adherence to exploration and the utilization of space for peaceful purposes.

These actions and words should not fall on deaf ears.

China is open to cooperating with other countries in space exploration. So far, it has helped over 20 countries and regions with 50 launches, and exported 11 satellites to nine countries. China's contributions to the space industry have been widely acknowledged.

Should the International Space Station end its mission as scheduled in 2024, China's planned space station may become the only permanent science laboratory in space.

Extensive global cooperation is the future. It is also the here-and-now and it is unavoidable, as it should be. Over the years China has proved itself an important and reliable partner in space exploration.

More cooperation, rather than thinly veiled agendas, will advance space exploration－an endeavor that belongs to all of mankind.

The authors are writers with Xinhua News Agency.