China to launch Pakistan communication satellite

Paksat-1R will replace Paksat-1 which is likely to complete its useful life this year.


August 10, 2011

BEIJING: China is all set to launch Pakistan’s communication satellite into space at an appropriate time in the coming days, a Chinese news service said on Wednesday.

According to Xinhua news, a spokesman for the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province said Wednesday the satellite, the PAKSAT-1R, will be carried by a Long March-3B carrier rocket.

PAKSAT-1R will replace PAKSAT-1 which is likely to complete its useful life this year.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Masood Khan said the launch will broaden the horizons of cooperation between the two countries.

“Launching of a communication satellite is going to be a symbolic development in Pakistan-China relations, as this will broaden the horizons of our cooperation,” he said.

(Read: Pak-China relations: Pakistan seeks berth in spacecraft)

COMMENTS (99)

Petrol Pandit | 12 years ago | Reply

@Taimur Malik: Agree. What is required is an alliance of the 'Bigs' in Asia. China+Korea+Japan+India+Pakistan+Indonesia. Only that would tilt the world's economic and cultural weight, fair and square into the Asian mainland. But for that to happen, India, China and Pakistan would need to find a resolution to their border issues in a tripartite manner, with a fair and realistic consideration for all parties concerned, without seeking the secession of additional land. A status quo resolution has worked before for China and Russia. There is no reason why this cannot work for these three countries. Also, if China+India+Pakistan is the first stage, then drawing in Korea+Japan+Indonesia is the second stage. Widening it to other Asian states, in a concentric fashion, will eventually lay the foundation of an Asian Union. But, best of luck. Islamabad / Beijing / New Delhi all have too many hawks. And not many peaceniks. They rule by fear and are ruled by it. Nothing much can happen with a leadership that lacks imagination.

Taimur Malik | 12 years ago | Reply

I wish for the countries of Pakistan, India, and China to unite as one economic and military power, with which to rival the US and its European allies. Each country should retain its sovereignty, but imagine what the people of these three heavily populated countries can accomplish and the poverty out of which they can be lifted? China has the most people on this planet, followed by India, and Pakistan is the sixth most populous with no signs of slowing down. If these three countries were to maximize their trade amongst each other and the rest of Asia and the world at large, boost military cooperation, especially in the "String of Pearls" strategic locations across the Pacific Ocean through the Persian Gulf and create a dynamic model for other regions such as Africa, the Arab World, Oceania, and Latin America to follow, then the 21st century will truly be the Asian Century, no questions asked. These countries should immediately cut down on their US Dollar reserves in lieu of trading in a basket of currencies, including the Rupees of both India and Pakistan, plus the Yuan. China should have its "sphere of influence" merge with India, since the two are the economic titans of Asia, with the exception of Japan, and the two rivals should compete in a healthy manner together as one with Europe and the US. Pakistan need not rely solely on foreign aid, whether the US or China, but to supercharge its own fledgling economy. All the resources are at their command, including the greatest resource, its people. Pakistanis and Indians need to respect one another, since they are genetically, culturally, historically one and the same. They can build all the pipelines they wish, develop their infrastructure to its potential, tap into its resources, but none of it is possible if the three countries cannot mutually benefit from one another. And this mutual benefit begins with the people of the three nations to love and respect one another. I pray that I am not merely idealistic at heart but rather see the true capabilities of Pakistan, India, and China unleash in order to take on the world.

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