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Yang
Liwei instills more national self-confidence
BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- China's first
manned space flight has given the nation a new
sense of self-confidence and served as an inspiration
to younger generations, social commentators
believe.
Astronaut Yang Liwei, 38, became an instant
national hero after his solo orbit of the earth
in the Shenzhou-5 space capsule this month and
his name was even registered as brand and Internet
domain names.
"Yang's 21-hour space journey showed that our
country has begun to 'fly', 54 years after Chairman
Mao Zedong, the founder of New China, declared
the Chinese people had 'stood up'," said one e-mail
on the xinhuanet.com website.
"Yang Liwei is a first-rate individual who displayed
the great work of Chinese scientists in space,"
said Yu Guoming, a professor of People's University
of China.
Yang, who notched up 1,350 flying hours as a
fighter pilot, underwent five years of rigid physical,
psychological and technical training and eventually
completing more than 200 operations in the his
spaceflight.
"I regard Mr. Yang as a hero," said Yu.
In his opinion, the spaceflight was a success
for Yang and a collective achievement of all the
scientists and technologists related to the program,
which indicated the comprehensive capability of
China's economy, technology, national defense
and its rallying force.
"What the astronaut gave the country was not
just an instant feeling of pride, but more confidence
that China can do whatever other countries can
do," Yu said.
China detonated its first atomic bomb 39 years
ago, and a hydrogen bomb three years later. Shortly
after, it sent its first man-made earth satellite
into space.
In 1992, China started a manned spaceflight
program, in which Shenzhou rockets ventured into
space four times from 1999 to 2002.
"China doesn't need idolatry any longer, but
needs its youth to dedicate themselves to science,"
Yu said.
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