Maintaining US leadership in human spaceflight

What is the right way for the USA to maintain leadership in human spaceflight-important for strategic as much as commercial and scientific reasons-now that China has joined the club? After analysing China's decision to pursue human spaceflight and its implications for the USA, the author argues that isolating China will be counterproductive to US interests, not least by keeping its intentions unknown. Nor should the USA engage in a 'race' with that country. Given China's desire for cooperation and the willingness of most other nations to collaborate with it, trying to prevent technology transfer to it will also be unrealistic. The USA should engage China cooperatively in order to shape its programme and to manage transfers.