Space law ready for liftoff

Legal framework seen as key to fostering industry and protecting national assets

China will speed up legislation covering activities in space to make better use of the nation's assets and boost space-related industries, according to senior officials.

"As China puts more and more assets into space, conflicts involving our increasing number of activities, limited resources and space debris have become noticeable," Tian Yulong, secretary-general of the China National Space Administration, told reporters on the sidelines of an international workshop on space law that opened in Beijing on Monday.