Macau donates 17 million patacas to Chinese space program

Macau donates 17 million patacas to Chinese space program

Macau people donated 14.46 million yuan, or 17.2 million patacas, to the China Space Foundation (CSF) at a ceremony in Beijing yesterday.

The donation came from 49 Macau businessmen and the non-governmental Macao Foundation, said a statement from the CSF after the ceremony.

Of the fund, 2.5 million yuan would go to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and 1.5 million to Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, said Hua Lusen, deputy director of the CSF council, in the statement.

A total of 1.85 million yuan was awarded to 14 astronauts, including the six who took part in the country's three manned space missions.

It was the third time that Macau people have given to the country's space program. They made donations in 2003 and 2005 when Shenzhou-5 and Shenzhou-6 manned spacecraft were successfully launched.

China launched Shenzhou-7 in September last year and an astronaut on board made China's first ever spacewalk.

Xu Ze, deputy director of the liaison office of the Central People's government in the Macau Special Administrative Region, expressed gratitude for Macau people's support to China's space industry despite the impact of the global financial turbulence.

Zhai Zhigang, the first Chinese citizen to perform a spacewalk during the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, also said that his mission could not be succeeded without the concern and support from Macau, adding that the donation was "encouraging" to all Chinese astronauts.

Monday, 09 March 2009
Macau Daily Times