Should We Be Wary of China in Space? (Update)

Viewpoint: Be Wary Of China Space Ties, editorial, Eric Sterner, Aviation Week
“Unfortunately, there are ample reasons for the U.S. to keep its distance. While the U.S. explicitly decided to separate its space exploration activities from the military, China’s human spaceflight program is a subsidiary of the People’s Liberation Army. In that context, the risks of illicit technology transfer are considerable.”
LDRA Wins $1 Million Contract in China’s Manned Spacecraft Program, LDRA
“The LDRA tool suite has been used within the China Manned Spacecraft Program since 2001. There are over one hundred licenses of the LDRA tool suite used by more than 30 individual research institutes or companies involved in this program. The LDRA tool suite helps CMSP software to achieve the necessary high levels of quality and safety. The CMSP’s primary mission will be to carry out space rendezvous and docking experiments, to guarantee the working and living conditions of taikonauts …”
Keith’s note: Based on this press release, It would seem that LDRA, a UK firm, has partnered with Hughes Communications, a U.S. Canadian firm, to work on China’s human space flight program.