Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

CHRISTIAN FEICHTINGER, executive director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), emphasized that both international partnerships and healthy competition are crucial for aerospace development during an interview Thursday.

“Cooperation today is very important, but competition — both among industries and between nations — also drives innovation, enabling significant progress in space development,” Feichtinger stated. “Maintaining a balance between cooperation and healthy competition is vital.”

He acknowledged China’s remarkable progress in space technology, noting that its ascent as a leading space-faring country is powered by a vibrant ecosystem of research hubs and innovative commercial companies.

“Cangyu Space represents one of the key contributors in this field,” he said. “We anticipate the successful deployment of its relay satellite system.”

Feichtinger expressed hope that a bid to host the International Astronautical Federation’s (IAF) annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC) would come from China.

“We are always looking forward to receiving a proposal from China — perhaps from Shenzhen. We would love to bring our major congress to China and connect the global space community with this vibrant hub.”