New Book on Space Colonies

>
> I could go on but I think I've conveyed my concerns sufficiently to
> characterize my skepticism about China becoming a dominant space
> power and fulfilling the orbital development schemes we all hold
> dear.

Have you talked to any Chinese people lately? Or read any real
updates on the country and its economy? China is currently the world's
second-largest economy measured by purchasing-power-parity (after the US)
and still growing at extravagant rates (over 8% first half of this
year, apparently). See the CIA world fact book on China:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html

China has 4 times as many people as the US - yes, many of them
are very poor, but many of them are also quite well off by US middle class
standards. And China has recent experience with huge engineering
projects. If there's any other country in the world right now that
can match or surpass the US on space projects, it ought to be China.

And the fact that they're starting from Russian technology indicates
they're being smart about it - all you have to do is read the CAIB
report to know the US shuttle, despite all the 1970's "high tech",
was not a step forward...

Arthur