Chang'e 6 mission sparks hopes for Sino-US space collaboration

China's historic feat of successfully retrieving the first-ever samples from the far side of the moon has ignited discussions about the United States' approach to exclude China from space projects, with experts emphasizing that the US should focus on inclusion rather than exclusion.

The Chang'e 6 probe returned to Earth on Tuesday, bringing back rock and soil samples from the lunar far side, which always faces away from the planet.

The probe landed on the moon on June 2 and lifted off two days later to start its journey back to Earth. The far side of the moon presents unique technical challenges for both landing and liftoff, yet China managed to land the probe, collect samples and bring them back safely.