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| Europe |
| China and India back EU’s space race against US |
| 2003-10-31 |
| Two rising Asian powers yesterday backed Europe’s bid to challenge American supremacy in space. Despite intense objections from Washington, China will invest £140 million in the European Union’s Galileo global satellite system, a network of 30 orbiting satellites designed to open up a lucrative field of high technology and support industries that require pinpoint accuracy. India is to invest £210 million in the scheme, Loyola de Palacio, the EU’s transport commissioner, said yesterday. The details will be agreed at an EU-India summit next month. "Third countries are more enthusiastic than certain European countries about Galileo," she said. Britain and Holland have been wary of the venture, fearing it may be an exorbitant exercise to promote French anti-Americanism and EU superpower ambitions. China and the EU signed the deal yesterday at a summit in Beijing marking a new intimacy between Brussels and China. Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, described ties as "ever more mature and strategic". But remember what they say: there’s not threat to NATO. A Beijing policy paper this month said the EU would soon overtake America and Japan as China’s main trade and investment partner. Beijing and New Delhi have reassessed the EU since the euro was launched and Brussels became a global regulatory force. Both are upgrading their offices in the EU to try to learn how the political machinery works. "Brussels will be more important that London, Paris, and Berlin once the EU gets its own foreign minister next year," said Nirj Deva, a Tory MEP and India expert. The Galileo technology, described as the "internet" of global navigation, is used for air traffic control, mobile telephones and even police surveillance, but inevitably has a military aspect. Washington fears that it could interfere with Nato military frequencies. Experts say its real worry is EU efforts to set up a rival technology bloc. The Chinese foreign ministry said Galileo would be more secure and offer more choice. The EU disputes claims that the deal breaks the spirit of the arms embargo imposed on China after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Chinese travellers will gain easier access to Europe under a visa deal agreed with the EU yesterday. The aim is to encourage China’s rising middle class to spend some of the country’s trade surplus in Europe, helping the tourism industry as the EU struggles to regain economic growth. The deal covers the Schengen open-border zone, with Britain excluded. Critics say it is open to abuse by Chinese people smugglers. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #13 That would be 1500 metres. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-10-31 5:43:30 PM |
| #12 Militarily, the result of this will be Scuds that can hit a pinpoint target LOL! It's doesn't have fine enough control even with GPS targeting to have better than a 1500 cep. A that's if it doesn't break up in flight. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-10-31 5:42:40 PM |
| #11 What China cannot develop they will steal. We have seen it with our military technology, esp during the Clinton years. The French will sell their souls and will provide a rope to hang themselves. China panders to their egos and the EU sense of wanting to stick it to the US. China considers them useful idiots. I would not start shouting doom and gloom, but I would be making contingency plans and countermeasures. The Chinese think long range and I would NOT underestimate them. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-10-31 5:13:55 PM |
| #10 Initially there is a worry about JDAM technology going to NK and Syria. Then you realize that JDAMs have to be dropped from planes. Militarily, the result of this will be Scuds that can hit a pinpoint target. A missile defence becomes more necessary. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-31 5:04:24 PM |
| #9 China and India back EU’s space race against US Like I have stated on many occasions, India is no friend of America. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-10-31 4:07:37 PM |
| #8 If this is like many of China's other deals, it'll be a trojan horse for technology transfers from France to China. Chirac is reputed to be a sinophile - what better way to stick it to the US - by selling advanced weapons technology to China? The French can hide behind the EU when the US decides to impose sanctions on them. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-10-31 4:04:34 PM |
| #7 LOL they send ONE guy into space and suddenly they are in command of space? I think we need to listen to Dennis Millers lastes rant on FoxNews. we saw what is out in space ok, lets fix whats inside and then go explore the galaxy. By then the PRC and INdia will have leaped to EVA operations and maybe we can do some joint space stuff. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-10-31 12:55:09 PM |
| #6 I suspect that we already have something prepared for a situation like this one. Possibly a laser up in space? Besides, we can knock out those satellites by going up there with the shuttles. The only three nations able to send Astronauts up are the US, Russia, and just recently China. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-10-31 12:06:38 PM |
| #5 Both are upgrading their offices in the EU to try to learn how the political machinery works. Hell, they can come to Chicago and see how the EU political machinery works, particularly EuroStat: 1 -- if it isn't nailed down, take it. 2 -- if it is nailed down, use a wrecking bar to pry out the nails, then take it. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-31 11:26:36 AM |
| #4 The way I understand it the US can cut off or distort the GPS signal in the event of a major war, making all GPS weapons unprepared for the shift, useless. By creating an alternate GPS the Europeans are guaranteeing that such weapons will be usable against the US. I cannot figure out any other reason for a very expensive alternate GPS satellite system. Of course the very cost of the whole thing, the limited number of serious users (China), really weights against it ever reaching completion. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-10-31 10:32:42 AM |
| #3 Be interesting to see if China asks that the satellites be "hardened" against EMP, huh? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-10-31 9:16:00 AM |
| #2 Welcome back to the pre-1939 world. |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2003-10-31 8:57:02 AM |
| #1 But remember what they say: there’s no threat to NATO. Dammit! One lousy comment and I still manage a typo... |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-10-31 6:39:12 AM |