Click here for original article

China successfully launched the 4th Beidou navigational satellite into the pre-designated orbit with the “Long March 3C” carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, symbolizing that China has made another important step forward in building the Beidou satellite navigational system.

According to introduction, the building of China’s Beidou satellite navigational system is being steadily pushed forward in accordance with the “three-step” development strategy.

The first step is basically realized. China launched 3 Beidou experimental navigation satellites from 2000 to 2003, established a sound Beidou experimental navigation system and thus became the third country possessing an independent satellite navigation system following the U.S. and Russia.

In the second step, the Beidou satellite navigational system will possess the capacity to provide position, navigation, time and short message communication service in the Asia-Pacific region by 2012. So far, China has successfully launched 3 Beidou navigational satellites and got into the stage of building a network for frequent satellite launches.

In the third step, the Beidou satellite navigational system consisting of 5 geostationary satellites and 30 non-geostationary satellites which covers the whole globe will be established around 2020.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/15720/

By polaris

article[s] found via yahoo.com”s news search
Chinese President Hu Jintao’s attendance at the World War II Victory Day celebrations here would be a significant political step promoting Sino-Russian relations, said a leading Russian expert on Far East studies in a recent interview with Xinhua. “Hu’s trip to Russia and appearance in the Victory Day celebrations for the Great Patriotic War, would be a step of political significance that China …
By english.people.com.cn

Click here for original article
Beijing (AFP) March 3, 2010 – China has postponed the next step in its ambitious space station programme until 2011 for technical reasons, state media said Wednesday.
By spacedaily.com

Click here for original article
Is this a small step to move the Sino-US relations back to “normal”? http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1124247220100211China approves US carrier visit to Hong KongWASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) – China has cleared a U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong next week, U.S. officials said on Thursday, despite its announced plan to trim contacts to protest the latest proposed U.S. arms sales to
By Coatepeque

via China, Japan plan first joint military exercise.

It will take much more to put aside their mutual suspicion. Nevertheless, it is a welcoming step. Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:54am ESThttp://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSTRE5AQ2EY20091127TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan and China agreed on Friday to conduct their first joint military training exercise, in the latest sign of warming ties between the Asian neighbors, long marked by mutual suspicion and…