In The News

Asia Applauds Newest Space Club Member's Achievement

October 16, 2003
Upon the completion of China's successful launch and return of a manned space vessel, congratulatory wishes were sent to Beijing from across the Asia-Pacific region. From the Philippines to India, Malaysia to Japan, national leaders and space technology officials had only praise for China's technological feat. The only other two countries to achieve manned space flight also graciously...

China Sends Man Into Orbit, Entering U.S.-Russian Club

Jim Yardley October 15, 2003
China has joined the US and Russia as only the third nation to launch a person into space. The Shenzhou 5 blasted off from somewhere in China's Gobi Desert on Wednesday, carrying a lone astronaut into space. If all goes well and he returns home safely, China's leadership will have one more accomplishment to help boost domestic support for the communist party. President Hu Jintao says...

China Bids for the High Ground

Joan Johnson-Freese October 1, 2003
The world may seem a little smaller to China soon - especially as viewed from outer space. The Chinese government plans to launch a manned space capsule in the next few weeks, closing a technological gap with Russia and the US that no other country has crossed. Joan Johnson-Freese, an expert in Chinese space technology at the US Naval War College, believes that to understand the implications of...

China: Controls Tighten as Internet Activism Grows

September 28, 2003
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International says that the world's most populous country is fighting a shameful battle against its own people. The Chinese government has implemented some of the most restrictive internet regulations in the world, banning Chinese web users from visiting certain foreign websites, and even suppressing speech and dissent on China-based websites. In less than a...

Global Anti-GM Sentiment Slows China's Biotech Agenda

Valerie Karplus September 26, 2003
Genetic modification of agricultural products like cotton, rice, and tomatoes has recently allowed small farmers in China to avoid spraying toxic pesticides on their crops. Pesticides – laborious to apply and proven to be harmful to your health – are now becoming obsolete because genetically modified (GM) crops are automatically resistant to the most common agricultural threats. But despite early...

Space Race

September 22, 2003
As America's Global Positioning System (GPS) has become more widely used for both military and civilian purposes, European Union (EU) countries have felt an urge to develop their own satellite system in order not to depend on the US. Recently, China, as well as several other countries, decided to be part of EU's development of the new system known as Galileo. With more competition in...

Intel Insider Looks to Asia

Richard Waters September 21, 2003
Though it generates revenues equal to its next four competitors combined, Intel, the global leader in chip manufacturing, sees more and more competition coming from Asia. Intel CEO Craig Barrett argues that the next ten years will feature major upheavals in the capital intensive industry. To remain competitive, Intel must attract top talent, especially foreign nationals who have come to the US to...