Russia, China plan approaching missile technology control regime agreement summer 2016

BEIJING, April 24. /TASS/. Russia and China are negotiating actively terms of an agreement on the missile technology control regime, and may approach signing it in summer 2016 already, head of Roskosmos Igor Komarov said on Sunday during celebration of China’s first National Day of Space Flight. "Within several months we are drafting an agreement on technology control," he said. "We hope (to sign it - TASS) in summer. Now the document is next to ready." "In fact, it is very important for our development, for having agreements in many spheres," he continued. "Missile technologies are a rather sensitive sphere, which has quite strict regulations." "China now is not a member of the MTCR (the Missile Technology Control Regime), and thus for development of cooperation, for supplies of engines and for cooperation in carriers, in production of space apparatuses - signing of this agreement is extremely important." "It will open options for cooperation in certain projects, which sometimes refer to key space technologies." Chine chose April 24 as the national holiday as it marks the day in 1970 where the country launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 (The East is Red), which still continues orbiting the Earth. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal and voluntary partnership between 34 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying a 500 kg payload for at least 300 km. Read more