Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), has said she expects fruitful space cooperation with China to continue as the office celebrates 10 years since opening its Beijing branch.
The United Nations International Conference on Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Reduction is being held in the Chinese capital this week. While in Beijing for the event, Holla-Maini spoke with China Media Group (CMG) and expressed firm confidence in the future of China's cooperation with the UN office.
"I would like to say that I have been to China now three times since joining the United Nations. I've been very impressed with the collaborative attitude and the open approach to international collaboration that is demonstrated by China. I hope that other countries, especially developing countries, will seize the opportunities that China is trying to bring to the world. 2025 is a really special year for us. It is the 10th anniversary of our regional center. It's also the 10th anniversary of our Beijing office here. And it's a milestone that signifies the strong collaboration between the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the People's Republic of China. So I'm very grateful that we reached this milestone and we can celebrate it together," she said.
Ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival, the UNOOSA director offered sincere holiday greetings to the country.
"For the Chinese people, I wish prosperity and good health above all. I really hope that given all the turmoil in the world, especially in this region, that the good work that we're doing together will have a great, positive impact and will save lives and preserve the livelihoods of so many vulnerable communities in the Asia Pacific region," she said.
The Spring Festival, which marks the start of a new year on the Chinese lunar calendar, is the biggest annual holiday for the Chinese people and sees residents across the country return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families and friends. This year, it falls on Jan 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.
UNOOSA director terms 2025 milestone year for cooperation with China
