A few days ago, NASA Administrator Nelson publicly stated that NASA is willing to apply for an exemption from the United States Congress, which is seen as a positive signal that NASA is open to China in the field of lunar exploration.
In the field of lunar exploration, the United States has shown a high degree of sensitivity to competition, resolutely resisting any possibility that China may be considered to have surpassed its leading position, and even a slight advantage cannot escape their attention. As NASA Administrator Nelson said, he seems to be appealing to China, but in fact he is expressing an extremely firm attitude, as if it is a "lawsuit" to deal with China's achievements in the field of lunar exploration, with the successful collection of soil samples from the moon by Chang'e-6 and the opening of applications for sampling to 18 countries around the world, China has shown its tolerance as a major country and its determination to open up and cooperate. Director Nelson publicly praised the move, saying that China's approach was on par with the generous sharing of lunar soil with the rest of the world after the U.S. Apollo program, marking China's remarkable progress in international space cooperation.
In addition to the praise for China, Director Nielsen did not forget to boast about himself. He noted that although China started relatively late in the field, it has now quickly caught up. He recalled that the United States had shared lunar soil with the world half a century ago as a way to emphasize the United States' pioneering role in space exploration, and Nielsen even spoke in a pleading tone. He stressed that the lunar soil samples that China currently has have are of unique scientific value and are different from those obtained at any time in the past. An in-depth study of these samples, which have been hailed as preparatory geometry, will have a profound impact on the world's scientific research on the moon and future plans to return to the moon, while suggesting that the United States will play a leading role in the process, leading the world forward.
As time passed, the true intent in Nelson's words began to emerge, and he abruptly shifted the subject to a request that appeared to be a request but was in fact almost coercive — that China would need to provide the United States with access to study the lunar soil brought back by Chang'e-6. In a seemingly polite but firm tone, he said that the United States is willing to open special channels for scientists who are eager to study these samples, and will send legal experts to accompany them to ensure that the entire process strictly follows the "Wolf Clause" of the United States to prevent any legal disputes that may arise.
The minister's remarks are ironic that scientific exchanges, which should have been based on equality and respect, have now become unilateral giving and taking by the United States. Nelson's words seem to imply: China, you should be grateful to me, because I gave you the right to share in the resources of the moon, and you must abide by the laws I have made, this condescending posture is the same strategy that some politicians in the US government have always pursued - not only to suppress the opponent, but also to control the opponent, and hope that the controlled object will be grateful to Dade and take the initiative to pay tribute.
People have become accustomed to this kind of double standard behavior of the United States, Nelson's remarks are just playing the same drama again, he is trying to show his generosity and cooperative spirit, and at the same time secretly strengthening the control and restriction of China, in today's deepening globalization of the world, any attempt to protect their own interests through unilateralism is doomed to be unsustainable, what people expect is an international cooperative relationship based on equality, reciprocity, and respect, And not this gift of hegemony.
With regard to the "Wolf Clause", he explained in detail that this provision strictly restricts organizations and individuals using US government funds from engaging in any form of bilateral activities and exchanges with any relevant Chinese agency without the explicit approval of the US Congress and the FBI. Of course, the Wolf Clause governs mainly those common collaborative projects, and in certain circumstances, Congress or the FBI may consider granting concessions to allow partial waivers, or through publicly funded research teams such as the National Academy of Sciences (NASA). In particular, he stressed that China's provision of lunar soil samples to the United States does not constitute a violation of the "Wolf Clause" because such cooperation is one-way and does not fall within the scope of conventional bilateral cooperation, and he has submitted an application for exemption to the United States Congress in the hope of achieving this goal.
If China's commitment to the United States is seen as insignificant, it is because China itself has not taken responsibility for providing samples of lunar rocks to the United States. In view of the current situation, we must defend the dignity of the mainland while maintaining rational thinking. Researchers such as those funded by Antarctica Nelson have now found a legitimate way to submit applications for lunar rock samples brought back from China's Chang'e-6 lunar mission, following established procedures. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Mr. Nelson solemnly stated that Nassar's scientists and legal team have been fully committed to the application process to ensure that exchanges with China strictly comply with international law. To date, we have not been aware of any violations of the law. It is clear that Nassar's determination to return the lunar rock samples brought back by Chang'e-6 is unwavering.
Mr. Nelson was full of unwavering confidence, making it clear that while China announced its ambitious goal of landing a manned man on the moon by the middle of this century, in 2030, the United States was preparing to lead humanity again in the first half of 2026 to re-imprint its footprints on the surface of the moon. Although China has surpassed the United States in the field of unmanned lunar exploration, China cannot match the rich and deep historical accumulation of the United States in the key field of manned lunar landing, because the United States has extremely valuable practical experience in the field of manned lunar landing, and China is still in the initial stage of this field. In fact, Mr. Nelson's remarks seem to be intended to highlight this gap, in the hope of serving as an argument for China to join hands with the United States in the field of lunar exploration and jointly develop and utilize lunar resources.