Space should be a realm of collaborative endeavor

China may still have a long way to go before it has the space capabilities depicted in the sci-fi blockbuster The Wandering Earth. Yet it has undoubtedly made remarkable progress over the past decades.

And it is China's consistent policy to undertake its space program only for scientific and technological progress, and to exploit space resources for peaceful purposes, a position that was again accentuated by Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.

A member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Wu said prior to the opening of the country's top political advisory body's second session that China will gradually open data collected by the Chang'e 4 lunar probe to the world. He also said the country plans to launch a probe to orbit Mars next year.