China's Lunar Ambitions

China space program shoots for moon, Washington Times
“Senior Chinese space officials have told their state media that China could be on the moon by 2022 at the outside. Other authoritative Chinese space engineers see a moon landing as a next step in the Tiangong program that will launch three Chinese space stations into Earth orbit between 2011 and 2015. In 2008, NASA scientists told the Bush White House that, with the technology currently available to the Chinese space program, Chinese cosmonauts could be on the moon by 2017.”
The Boy Who Looked at the Moon, Homer Hickam
“The man stood watching the glowing television sets stacked in the storefront window. The window was dirty, the glass cracked and repaired with a strip of tape. A boy stood beside him. “What are you looking at, Dad?” “I’m watching the Chinese celebrate the completion of their moonlab, son. Look, there they are on the moon. See how happy they are?” “They always seem to be so happy. How come nobody around here is ever that happy, Dad?” The man looked at his son in surprise. “Well, I don’t know. I guess I haven’t thought much about that.”