Should we worry about China's first manned space mission? Bob Park of the American Physical Society
doesn't think so:
And this is only the beginning; China hopes eventually to construct a permanent base on the moon. Americans should welcome China's new direction. Sending humans into space offers no military, economic, or scientific advantage; rather it's a symbolic demonstration that China has arrived as an economic power and can now afford to waste vast sums of money. Perhaps the U.S. could help by offering China complete plans for the space shuttle. This would serve the cause of world peace by diverting China's resources from more dangerous adventures.
(And did I date myself with the
Honeymooners reference?)