Interaction Between the PRC and the EU in the Space Sector in the 2010-2020s

Access to space is becoming an increasingly strategic activity taking into account the many new entities - states and private individuals - who want to enter this sector. Having an independent launch capacity, its own national space agency, sustaining solid relations with other parties in this field therefore becomes fundamental not only for economic reasons, but also for national security. In this context, China and the EU appear among space powers as well as strategic partners. Hence, it is interesting to observe how their spatial relationships develop over the last decades. The aim of this research is to analyze in which directions the PRC and the EU have interacted in the space sector (demonstrating initiative or competitiveness) and what results have been achieved in the last decade (2010-2020s). By evaluating the implications of this inter-regional partnership, the paper aspires to contribute to a deeper understanding of international relations in the space sector, especially concerning such relevant parties. With this purpose in mind, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the PRC-EU space sector relationships, focusing not only on joint missions and projects, but also on insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by both parties, (Moon, Mars, Space Stations, Global Navigation Satellite Systems). The author, after presenting the strategical importance of the space industry in the mechanism of International Relations, systematizes the milestones in the space sector not only between the EU and China, but also between the latter and individual EU-member countries. Secondly, the analysis of cooperation and competition in the space sector between two strategic partners such as the EU (also considering individual member countries) and China make the future possibilities for building new horizons clearer. The main sources the writer has been drawing on come the national space agencies sites (NASA, ESA, CNSA), the news and academic works focusing on the dichotomy space-geopolitics. This paper suggests that, although the global geopolitical situation significantly affects relations between China and the EU, there is a lot of potential that can be exploited by both parties to develop space technological innovation and strengthen the global space sector. Keywords: China, European Union, space sector, cooperation, competition