'NewSpace' in China in Needs of New Laws

摘要

NewSpace in China mainly entails two aspects: uprising new actors and expanding cooperative efforts. China's space activities were governmental-dominant with the primary aim of improving national prestige and technology advancement and international cooperation has been limited and more political than economic in nature. Nonetheless, the political atmosphere has begun to loosen up by a series of policy documents. There have been signs of initial evolution of commercial space activities: more and various actors involved; private companies capable of investment showing interest in space activities. The proactivity under the XI government represents more opportunities for Asia, Asia-Europe, and Asia-Pacific for joint space efforts, as demonstrated by establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the negotiation and assignments of a series of free trade agreements, and the initiative of "the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21~(st)-Century Maritime Silk Road". Not merely to ensure authorization and continuing supervision, the legislative framework and regulatory rules are in demand: the enactment of a comprehensive aerospace law; amendment of export control system and improvement of space governance mechanisms.