China, Russia to jointly build lunar post

China and Russia have agreed to join hands in building and running a robotic scientific outpost on the moon or in lunar orbit, according to the China National Space Administration.

The administration said in a statement on Tuesday evening that its head, Zhang Kejian, and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Rogozin, director-general of state space corporation Roscosmos, signed a memorandum of understanding on joint efforts to build an "international lunar research station" during a teleconference earlier that day after receiving approval from both governments.

The CNSA and Roscosmos will negotiate on matters about the station's planning, design, construction and operations, and will work together to build and run it. Both nations want to open the station to international cooperation so it can serve as a platform to boost scientific exchanges and foster peaceful exploration and development of outer space, according to the statement.