NASA Head’s Visit To China Makes Republican Lawmakers Uneasy

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is in China this week, on a five-day visit that has drawn opposition from some Republican members of Congress unhappy about the prospect of U.S.-Chinese cooperation in space.

U.S. and Chinese leaders agreed late last year that Bolden and his Chinese counterpart should pay reciprocal visits during 2010.

In Beijing last November, President Obama and President Hu Jintao, in a joint communiqué, called for “expanding discussions on space science cooperation and starting a dialogue on human space flight and space exploration, based on the principles of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit.”

In one of the only Chinese media reports to appear ahead of Bolden’s visit, the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times quoted a Chinese astronautics specialist as saying areas of bilateral cooperation could include GPS data-sharing, environmental protection and climate monitoring.

On the eve of the trip, four GOP lawmakers asked Bolden to brief Congress when he returns.

“As you know, we have serious concerns about the nature and goals of China’s space program and strongly oppose any cooperation between NASA and China,” the four wrote in a letter. “In light of the short notice and scant information provided before your departure to China, we respectfully request a full briefing with you upon your return.”

Apart from details on subjects to be discussed and facilities visited, the members of Congress stressed that they wanted Bolden’s “personal assurance that at no time during your trip there were any discussions of cooperation on human space flight activities.”

In an exchange of letters earlier this month, US Rep. Frank Wolf (VA) told Bolden, “It should go without saying that NASA has no business cooperating with the Chinese regime on human spaceflight. China is taking an increasingly aggressive posture globally, and their interests rarely intersect with ours.”

“I need not remind you that no such planning or coordination has been approved by the Congress,” added the Virginia lawmaker, who stands in line to become the chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science subcommittee should the Republicans win control of the House in next month’s election.

A 2009 Pentagon report to Congress on Chinese military power said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was acquiring technologies to improve its space-based “Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance” – elements that were important in winning modern wars.

“China is developing the ability to attack an adversary’s space assets,” the report said.

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