# Am I the only one even a little unnerved about China's plans in space? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510 "2003-10-15T04:41:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/41 "2003-10-19T14:17:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > Given that China has one of the more oppressive governments in the world, I think we have a right to be worried about them getting foothold on the high ground. Snooze. When did China pre-emptively invade another country without provocation? When did China engineer coups in countries inside its “sphere of influence?” ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/42 "2003-10-19T16:31:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \* > \*\*Snooze. > > When did China pre-emptively invade another country without provocation? \*\* Um, does Tibet count? ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/43 "2003-10-20T03:23:30Z")
Yeah, I was gonna say Tibet. Vietnam too. Korea maybe? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/44 "2003-10-20T06:09:19Z")
Perhaps **Urban Ranger** meant China is no worse than a certain government who started a pre-emptive war without UN approval only a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/45 "2003-10-20T06:21:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*Perhaps **Urban Ranger** meant China is no worse than a certain government who started a pre-emptive war without UN approval only a few months ago. \*\* Oh, **THAT** China! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![universe.zip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@universe.zip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/universe.zip)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/46 "2003-10-20T11:07:44Z")
China colonize the moon? I´m sorry if I overlooked this and someone has mentioned it before, but China has ratified the 1967 UN Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty), which states inter alia: > [@](#): > > Article II > Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignity, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. [Cite (UN Vienna, Office for Outer Space Affairs)](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/SpaceLaw/outersptxt.htm) True, China is not a state party to the 1979 Moon Agreement, but then again, neither are the US. China even calls for an amendment of the 1967 Treaty in [this speech](http://www.nti.org/db/china/engdocs/qiao0402.htm). Of course, if someone is convinced these are just pretty words and China is going to disregard the UN Treaties and colonize the moon, these facts won´t change their opinion. My opinion is: wait and see. I´m not worried. If space exploration is really used for the benefit of mankind as intended, then the more states do it, the better. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510/47 "2003-10-20T11:11:04Z")
Post WW2 saw Tibet, Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. Border Incidents with USSR and India. Not sure how you would classify Viet Nam as was it unprovoked and just how many troops were used (generally agreed as more than a border skirmish and maybe less than a war). As far as Taiwan goes, how does this year’s war games differ from last year, or the year before, or the year before, or the year before, or the year before, or the year before, ad nauseum. That’s assuming there is no repeat of 1996 lobbing shells off of Taiwan’s coast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-even-a-little-unnerved-about-chinas-plans-in-space/207510.md?page=2)