With latest mission, China renews space cooperation vow

BEIJING (AP) — Shortly ahead of sending a new three-person crew to its space station, China has renewed its commitment to international cooperation in the peaceful use of space. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson says sending humans into space was a common cause of mankind and China would continue to extend the depth and breadth of international cooperation and exchanges in crewed spaceflight to aid in the exploration of the mysteries of the universe. China is to send men and one woman to spend six months aboard the Tianhe core module of its space station, with liftoff from the Gobi Desert launch base scheduled for shortly after midnight Saturday. China was excluded from the International Space Station largely due to U.S. objections over its program’s close military ties.