XINHUA

Xinhua Headlines: China launches Shenzhou-23 spaceship, for new in-orbit stay record, cutting-edge space science

Daily Mail

Blast off! China launches three-crew space flight ahead of plans for manned Moon mission by end of the decade

New York Post

China launches Shenzhou 23 spacecraft with 1 of 3 astronauts set for yearlong stay

South China Morning Post

Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying lifts off into space on Shenzhou-23 mission

NDTV

China Launches 3-Crew Space Flight As Part Of Moon Ambitions

Space

China launches 3 astronauts, including 1st ever from Hong Kong, to Tiangong space station (video)

Global Times

China successfully launches Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft to Chinese space station

CGTN

China advances efforts for lunar exploration, crewed moon landing

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TheDailyEraNews

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Will China land the next person on the Moon?

Lloyd Austin

Mark Milley

Mike Minihan

Jacob Thornburg

Michael Brenner

Finian Cunningham

Scott Ritter

Ray Dalio

Kevin Rudd

Zhao Tong

Stanislaw Koziej

Robert S. Ross

Charles C. Krulak

Joseph S. Nye

Qin Gang

Frank Kendall III

Thomas L. Friedman

Marco J. Lyons

"I argue that war is unlikely to occur due to the deep economic ties underlying the great power politics between the two countries."

"War with either [Russia or China] is neither inevitable nor imminent."

"As things currently stand, the US is not prepared to fight and win a war with China over Taiwan."

"A war between the US and China today is no more inevitable than was war between the rising US and the declining United Kingdom a century ago."

"[T]he tension between the United States and China will grow, and competition will intensify; it is inevitable. War, however, is not."

"War is a risk, but it is not inevitable."

"The risk of a military conflict is very serious."

"The smallest misstep by either side [Taipei and Beijing] could ignite a U.S.-China war."

"China is preparing for a war and specifically for a war with the United States."

"My gut tells me we [the US] will fight [with China] in 2025."

Will There Be a US-China War?

Andrew Ng

Eric Schmidt

Chuck Schumer

Brad Smith

Nestor Maslej

Ruth Porat

Ylli Bajraktari

Bruegel

National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence

Brandon J. Weichert

Clément Delangue

Zhou Hongyi

Joseph Tsai

Huey-Meei Chang

Craig S. Smith

Jeffrey Ding

Ray Perrault

Susana Martinez

Niall Ferguson

Larry Elliot

Marcel Munch

Pavel Durov

John Rush

"I think, today, [China is] probably two years behind the top [AI] models [from the US]."

"Where China sits [in AI], I think, is very far behind the US."

"The United States is in a strong position to win the essential [AI] race with China."

"China will dominate AI."

"The combination with China's self-made chips + AI infrastructure stack will put China ahead of the US."

China would "undoubtedly come out on top [in the US-China AI race]."

"[I]t seems like the United States is really far ahead [when it comes to generative AI]."

"China will lead the world in AI development."

In 2025, "China will start to lead the AI race (as a consequence of leading the open-source AI race)."

Will China Surpass the US in AI?

China launched the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft on May 24, 2026, atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission sends three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, with one crew member set to spend a full year in orbit — a first for the country.

China launched the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft on May 24, 2026, atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission sends three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, with one crew member set to spend a full year in orbit — a first for the country.

The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan — a former air force pilot on his first spaceflight — and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, who became the first astronaut from Hong Kong to reach space.

The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan — a former air force pilot on his first spaceflight — and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, who became the first astronaut from Hong Kong to reach space.

The identity of the astronaut who will complete the year-long stay will be determined during the mission based on medical and psychological assessments, with the other two crew members returning to Earth after approximately six months.

The identity of the astronaut who will complete the year-long stay will be determined during the mission based on medical and psychological assessments, with the other two crew members returning to Earth after approximately six months.

The Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct more than 100 science and application projects spanning space life science, materials science, microgravity fluid physics and aerospace medicine. Experiments include growing two consecutive generations of rice in orbit and testing perovskite solar cells under space conditions.

The Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct more than 100 science and application projects spanning space life science, materials science, microgravity fluid physics and aerospace medicine. Experiments include growing two consecutive generations of rice in orbit and testing perovskite solar cells under space conditions.

The Shenzhou-23 mission will relieve the Shenzhou-21 crew, who had been in orbit for more than 200 days following an emergency in which a suspected debris impact damaged the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. An uncrewed Shenzhou-22 was launched to serve as a lifeboat for the stranded crew.

The Shenzhou-23 mission will relieve the Shenzhou-21 crew, who had been in orbit for more than 200 days following an emergency in which a suspected debris impact damaged the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. An uncrewed Shenzhou-22 was launched to serve as a lifeboat for the stranded crew.

The Shenzhou-23 mission is part of China's broader goal to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030. China is also preparing the Chang'e-7 lunar probe for launch in the second half of 2026 and developing the Mengzhou spacecraft to replace the Shenzhou line for future lunar missions.

The Shenzhou-23 mission is part of China's broader goal to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030. China is also preparing the Chang'e-7 lunar probe for launch in the second half of 2026 and developing the Mengzhou spacecraft to replace the Shenzhou line for future lunar missions.

China Launches Shenzhou-23 With First Year-Long Mission

China launchesLaunches Shenzhou-23 spaceshipWith First Year-Long Mission

The Controversies

Thornburg

Milley

Ritter

Krulak

Rudd

Nye

Tong

Friedman

III

Minihan

Tsai

Ding

Smith

Rush

Munch

Hongyi

Maslej

Martinez

Delangue

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