The Global Space Exploration Conference is underway in Beijing, attracting experts and delegates from space agencies from across the world to draw up a roadmap and foster international cooperation.

“The European Space Agency already has some good cooperation with China, especially in science,” said Jan Woerner, director general of the European Space Agency.

Space agencies are seeking common ground, as many are involved in researching deep space exploration.

China is taking its space program to the next level as it focuses on deep space exploration.

Missions to the moon will play a major role, and the country can look forward to more international cooperation when its new lunar probe Chang’e-4, to be launched in 2018, will attempt to land on the dark side of the moon.

“China has sent out invitations to cooperate when the Chang’e-4 was still in its blueprint phase. So far we’ve received over 20 requests from over a dozen countries. It will be involved in projects from the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Sweden,” said Liu Jizhong, director of Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center.

The heads of space bureaus from Europe, Japan, Canada, South Africa, and China have also introduced their vision on the future of space agencies at the conference – especially in areas of cooperation and commercial launches.