Such evident double-standards are no more than a clumsy trick played by the U.S. to discredit China. (Picture by Yao Lan)
By John Lee
(ECNS)--Censure from some U.S. media and its so-called rocket experts accusing China of being "irresponsible" for leaving Long March-5B rocket debris "uncontrolled, causing threats to objects on Earth" have further highlighted the ulterior motives of the U.S. after the debris fell into the Indian Ocean on Sunday.
Rocket debris is not uncommon. In the U.S., a piece of burning rocket debris from SpaceX was found to have crashed on a farm in eastern Washington State on April 2. It was romanticized as "lighting up the sky with a spectacular rocket show" by U.S. media, yet when it comes to China, the rocket debris will "cause threats to objects on Earth." Such evident double-standards are no more than a clumsy trick played by the U.S. to discredit China.
First, the allegation "the rocket debris falling out of control" is untenable. The rocket debris outside the atmosphere has lost impetus and its structure may have already been damaged. Thus no country, even the U.S. who boasts advanced space technology, can "control" rocket debris. Second, the final stage rocket is ablated and destroyed during reentry into the atmosphere, which is a universal practice. China has strictly observed international standards, which is beyond reproach.
Recklessly discrediting China's space technology will fail to curb China's development. We hope the U.S. treats China's space achievements objectively, since making such a scene would surely backfire.
