ACC Representative Attended the Main Event of 2021 Space Day of China

From 23 to 26 April 2021, the main event of 2021 Space Day of China, with the theme of “Voyaging into space, pursuing dreams”, was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. The main event consists of more than 20 activities, including the opening ceremony, the International Lunar Research Station Promotion Conference, the 4th China Space Conference, and the activity of China’s Space Image Ambassadors. On behalf of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Mr. Ye Feng, Deputy Director of the General Affairs and Coordination Division attended the opening ceremony and related activities.

(Source: China National Space Administration)

On 23 April, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos jointly held a conference for the international lunar research station in Nanjing. Mr. Wu Yanhua, Deputy Director of CNSA, presided over and addressed the conference. Dr. Di Pippo, Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) delivered remarks. Mr. Yuri Urlichich, First Deputy General Manager of Roscosmos, delivered remarks and issued a Joint Declaration on Jointly Building an International Lunar Research Station by CNSA and Roscosmos. Representatives from around 30 countries and international organizations joined the conference online and offline. ACC representative attended the onsite conference. 

On April 24, the Launching Ceremony of the 2021 Space Day of China & Opening Ceremony of the 2021 China Space Conference was held at the Nanjing Shangqinhuai International Cultural Exchange Centre. Mr. Wu Zhenglong, Governor of Jiangsu Province, Mr. Zhang Kejian, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China and Administrator of CNSA and Mr. Han Liming, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee, attended and addressed the launching ceremony. Mr. Qi Jiabin, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province participated in the ceremony. Dr. Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, Mr. Dmitry Rogozin, General Manager of Roscosmos, Mr. Amer Nadeem, Chairman of Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and other representatives of the international space community sent congratulatory videos. More than 40 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, representatives from relevant ministries and commissions, space agencies, universities, media of China and diplomatic envoys from Russia, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Thailand, the United States and other countries, representatives from Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), ACC, and other international organizations attended the launching ceremony. The theme promotional video of the 2021 Space Day of China was broadcasted at the ceremony; Mr. Zhang Kejian passed the flag of Space Day of China on to Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics; CNSA announced the name of China’s first Mars rover——“Zhurong”, and awarded the titles of China’s Space Image Ambassadors; A number of awards were announced and presented, including the Award of Space Exploration and Artistic Creation Competition and the Award of China Space Foundation; Mr. Qi Jiabin, on behalf of the Jiangsu provincial government, signed strategic cooperation agreements with 5 companies including the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

The launching ceremony marked the opening of the 2021 China Space Conference, the highlight of the sixth Space Day of China. With the theme of “New Starting Point, New Journey, New Vision”, the conference set up more than 30 activities, including the main forums, international forums, academic forums, cultural forums, youth forums, education forums, popular science forums and activities, and relevant exhibitions to fully display the cutting-edge space technology, thoroughly discuss the future of space, and promote extensive and in-depth global cooperation in the field of aerospace. During the conference, ACC representative also attended the International Symposium on Space Industry Development and Commercial Space and the International Symposium on the Rule of Law in Outer Space and gained insight into the cooperation and development in the international space industry. The two symposiums respectively focused on the advanced technological concepts and applications of Chinese and foreign commercial space companies, and on the challenges, changes and development of global outer space governance in the new era.

During the event, together with the delegation, ACC representative visited the exhibition of Public Awareness Week of Space Day of China, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Purple Mountain Observatory of Chinese Academy of Sciences and other aerospace universities and research institutions. 

In 2016, China designated 24 April as the country’s Space Day to mark the launch of its first satellite Dongfanghong-1 into space on 24 April 1970. Up to now, China has held five main events consecutively in Beijing, Xi’an, Harbin, Changsha and Fuzhou. The main event of the 2021 Space Day of China, co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, CNSA and the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, is organized by the Nanjing Municipal Government and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and co-organized by the Jiangning District Government of Nanjing and Nanjing University of Science and Technology.