China Returns First-Ever Samples from the Moon’s Far Side
Scientific AmericanJUN 2024
China: US Imposes 'Obstacles' to Sharing Historic Moon Samples With NASA
Image copyright: Kevin Frayer/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
The US has itself to blame for its exclusion from this historic moon mission. The US government and media assume a hidden malicious intent behind every Chinese action, which is behind their lack of recognition or support for China's first-of-its-kind mission. Cooperation is a two-way street, and the US should repeal the Wolf Amendment to take part in China's ascendant space program and orient space exploration for the good of humanity instead of engaging in petty geopolitics.
Anti-China narrative
China is trying to foment a "space race" narrative to score political points by spurning the US. The fact of the matter is that the US remains the dominant space superpower and trumps every other country in all relevant metrics in this field. What's more, China struggles to find international partners while the US is bolstered by a broad base of global support. China would benefit greatly from US support, but not the other way around, as they play games with such a historic mission.