Aid and comfort to communist China.(Correction notice)

ITEM: A "cooperative venture in space" between China and the United States "could offer the two countries a way to ease tensions," reported the Houston Chronicle on May 7. "As part of his overture, Bush promised [Chinese President Hu Jintao] that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin would visit China later this year for more definitive discussions" about such cooperation.

ITEM: The state-run People's Daily in Beijing on May 1 commented on American media accounts about U.S.-Chinese space cooperation, and suggested that joint moon exploration should be the goal. However, the communist paper editorialized, not everyone in the United States favors cooperation and some even talk about a "space threat." For at least a decade, "since China entered the international commercial satellite service market, the United States has repeatedly prohibited the use of Chinese rockets to launch satellites with 'U.S.-made parts,' saying that to do so allowed the possibility of 'revealing state secrets.' American policy in regard to Chinese space launch activities has caused considerable damage to China. Even today, such hostility and suspicion remain evident."

CORRECTION: For many, reading about trying to ease national tensions through transfers of space technology sounds vaguely pleasing to the ear. But the allure of "cooperation" is really like bait in a trap. The Chinese enticingly wave the idea of "cooperation" to get our technology--which they use to strengthen their military might. Not only are the Chinese as a result better able to threaten the U.S. directly--for example, through anti-satellite weaponry--but they also continue to export advanced military technology to potential adversaries such as Iran (and force American taxpayers to pay for defenses against American technology).

Many of the same technologies needed for "space" missions are also used for long-range missiles. The Chinese of course recognize the nature of such dual-use technologies; indeed, former dictator Deng Xiaoping's "16-Character Policy," which was codified into Beijing's policy, means: combine the military and civil, giving priority to the military.

What the Pentagon Says ... and Omits

One needs to connect the dots on occasion. In the mass media, passing reference was made, in some articles, to this observation made in May by the Department of Defense: "Several aspects of China's military development have surprised U.S. analysts, including the pace and scope of its strategic forces modernization"--including long-range missiles and nuclear weapons. However, the media neglected important facts about how China was able to modernize so quickly. In fact, even a Pentagon report about China didn't put China's military development in context.

The Department of Defense analysis, "Military Power of the People's Republic of China, 2006," did point out that China is modernizing its ballistic-missile force, including "introducing a new road-mobile, ...