China’s Mars landing on May 14, 2021 was a historic and monumental success. It happened during the time the world condemned China for being responsible for the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The country has been busy fighting against the deadly effect of the coronavirus, yet unknown to many, it has also revolutionized its space program and launched an ambitious mission to conquer the Red Planet.
The success of the three-month mission called “Nihao Mars” (“Hello Mars”) to deploy its Zhurong rover on Utopia Planitia, a vast northern lava plain of the Mars surface, is a triumph for Beijing’s bold space ambitions and history-making feat for a nation on its first-ever Martian mission.
The landing makes China the first country in East Asia to carry out an orbiting, landing and roving operation in its first mission to Mars.
It was an endeavor unmatched by the only two nations to reach the planet so far, the United States and Russia.
What are the implications of such a great achievement to the world? First, it shows that China is not only a strong political power but also a country with advanced technology in space exploration.
Second, it has shown its supremacy in space technology besides business, sports, culture, entertainment, medicine, engineering, information technology and modern warfare.
It is the main reason this ancient country is highly recognized, respected and has become a big threat to the superpower United States.
The China that had been colonized and exploited by Western countries centuries ago is no longer the same.
The sleeping giant in Asia has boosted its economy and ready to provide financial assistance to other countries and strengthened its military forces so it can defend its territorial claims.
The Philippines has a very long, unique and special relationship with China over the centuries before Western countries like Spain and America set foot in the archipelago.
Chinese people are more than friends. They are part of our Asian family and cultural heritage.