[From CNSA] Sources with the China National Space Administration disclosed on its web that the Second Meeting of the Drafting Group on the Convention of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization was held on November 10, 2003 in Beijing. Representatives and observers from 15 countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, South Korea, Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Pakistan and Ukraine, and those from the embassies in China and the relevant departments of the United Nations presented themselves at the meeting. The First Meeting of the Drafting Group on the Convention of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization was held in August 2003 in Bangkok of Thailand, before which the preparatory meeting for discussion of the articles of the Convention was organized in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia.

    In 1992, China, Thailand and Pakistan jointly proposed to develop the multilateral cooperation in Asia-Pacific space technology and application, trying to promote the founding of the regional space cooperation organization and push forward the cooperation in developing space programs. With the strong support from the Chinese Government and governments of countries concerned in Asia-Pacific area, the preparatory work for founding the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization has achieved substantial progress. The First Meeting of the Drafting Group on the Convention of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization completed the review on most articles of the convention and in particular the participating representatives agreed that the head office of the APSC would be set up in China, which laid a foundation for the establishment of the Organization. This meeting will complete discussion of all the articles of the Convention and the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization will be founded officially after being ratified by the governments of countries concerned.

The Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, based on the principles of “peaceful use of space resources, mutual benefit and compensation, equal negotiation, cooperation and development", will commit itself to promoting cooperation in space technology and application with the aim of peaceful exploration and use of space resource, benefiting the local people and pushing forward the sustainable development of the local society and economy.

Luan Enjie, administrator of China National Space Administration, pointed out in his speech delivered on the opening ceremony for the meeting (the full text will be published separately) that many countries thought highly of our country's complete success in launching the first manned space flight, noting that it was another milestone in the space development history. Luan Enjie promised that the Chinese Government would continue to strengthen its space exchange and cooperation with other countries in Asia-Pacific area under the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and China would join hands with people of all nations to make due contribution to the peaceful exploration and use of space resources for the progress and common development of the mankind. The Chinese Government will, as always, support the establishment of the Organization and its activities, hoping that it will be founded as early as possible.

Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense of China attended the meeting, which was presided over by Liu Xiaohong, Division Director of Foreign Affairs Department of the National Space Administration. (By Li Qian)

luan enjie, administrator of CNSA, is giving a speech at the conference.

Director of Foreign Affairs Department of CNSA dministrationis giving a speech at the conference.

Distinguished Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like, on behalf of the China National Space Administration,to congratulate on the opening of the second meeting of the Drafting Group on the Convention of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization in Beijing, and extend warm welcome to representatives from the Asia-Pacific countries and regions.

China' space activities have scored remarkable achievements ever since her first man-made satellite was launched in 1970. Space technologies have been widely applied to various fields of the national economic construction, and done great contribution to science development and social  progress,  improvement of people's life,  and sustainable development of national economic construction. China's first manned space flight achieved complete success on October 16, 2003, marking another milestone in the space development history.  The success represented that China is ranked among those countries independently mastering the complete
technology for manned space fligh.I am convinced that China's space development will push forward the development of cooperation on space technology and applications, help to improve the science and technology capacity and competitiveness of the Asia-Pacific region, and enable space technology to better serve the national economic construction and social development.
  
The Chinese Govemrnent will continue to strengthen its space exchange and cooperation with other countries under the principle of equality and mutual benefit. We are willing to join hands with
people of all nations to make due contribution to the peaceful exploration and uses of space resources for the progress and common development of the mankind.

With the strong support from the Chinese Government and governments of countries concerned, the Secretariat of AP-MCSTA was founded in Beijing in 2001 to push forward the institutionalization and program cooperation. I am delighted to see that the efforts for institutionalization of Asia-Pacific space cooperatlon have achieved substantial progress with joint efforts of relevant countries. During the First Meeting of the Drafting Group on the Convention of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization in Bangkok last August, in particular, the participating representatives agreed on China playing the Hosting Country, and completed the  review  on most articles of the Convention. The establishment of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization will facilitate countries of this region to promote the development and system construction of space technology, and its application on land and resources development,  environmental protection,  remote  sensing, meteorology, oceanography, and disaster prevention and mitigation.
At the same time, we shall also be aware that we will come across various difficulties in the process. But I mu convinced that all difficulties will be settled through our joint efforts.
The Chinese Government will, as always, support the establishment of the Organization and its activities, make due contribution and facilitate its work in various aspects in the early years
of the founding of the Organization.

I wish this meeting a complete success and wish all of you an enjoyable stay in Beijing.

Thank you.