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Chinese, European Space Agencies In Talks To Build a Moon Base (techcrunch.com)
ESA's Pal Hvistendahl has confirmed via Bloomberg that Chinese and European space agencies are talking with one another about plans to build a base on the moon. The discussions "involve working together to build a human-occupied 'moon village' from which both agencies can potentially launch Mars missions, conduct research, and possibly explore commercial mining and tourism projects," reports TechCrunch. From the report: China's upcoming projects in space include a mission to collect samples from the moon via an uncrewed craft by the end of this year, and to also launch an exploratory mission to the far side of the moon next year, with the similar aim of returning samples for study. The ESA's collaboration with China thus far include participating in the study of those returned samples, and potentially sending a European astronaut to the Chinese space station (which is currently unoccupied) at some future date.
There has been a slow, but steadily increasing approach between China and Europe for the last couple of decades, in many ways: trade agreements, Chinese interest in European education and scientific development, even what could be the first, tenuous signs of political alignment. One of the reasons, in my view, is simply that Europe isn't the US - America has for many years employed a very aggressive rhetoric against China, where Europe has been more moderate, and it does seem to have left a lasting impression. On that background, I don't think it is at all surprising that they will build a Moon base together. I think it is great that China shows leadership and determination in this hugely important area; sure, it stings a bit that we in the West aren't in the lead, but I'm sure the Chinese will allow America to take part, when they are ready to commit to it.
Europe basically would sell their own mother for a nickel if they could get some kind of money out of it from China. That's why their interests are aligning. As a person who's spent a lot of time in Europe and used to work for a European company in the USA, I'm not just some kind of xenophobic American talking here. Good grief. A few years ago some high ranking British cabinet official acted like a giddy school girl when President Xi came over for a visit. I thought the guy's comments to the press were completely ridiculous for a cabinet minister to say. Europe has no spine, so they turn a blind eye to China's constant threat to invade Taiwan. When is the last time in your life that a major power threatened to invade a much small country (Or "province" if you are European and buy China's bs line on this) simply because that other country wouldn't bow down to it in obedience? Geez, the closest example I can think of is the Czechoslovakian situation right before World War II started. Does any European government even dare to suggest that it would be unacceptable for China to invade Taiwan? Nope. Because that would require the EU countries to have a spine. Even the UK, who honestly gets very little out of their China trade, lacks the spine to even suggest that China could really tone down the rhetoric a bit with regards to Tibet. Nobody in the EU has any kind of conscience about China and as long as cheap Chinese made good keep coming over, they'll shrug every Chinese outrage off.
I have no personal problem with China and the European Space Agency putting a base on the moon and if that spurs the USA to do so too, that would be great. But people in the EU and China are not in agreement because of any reason other than the EU members have no soul and they can be bought off on anything for the right price.