http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/23/content_471434.htm

My guess right now is that China's heavy launcher will look something like the Falcon 9. That is the best design out there now, and I don't think that the Chinese are so stupid as to miss the lessons learned before Falcon's development. Where this may end up putting SpaceX and everyone else in the international commercial launch market is open.

Second, re-entry technology is dual use. It is used for spacecraft, and it is used for ballistic missile warhead re-entry. I think Russia is looking to Europe as a partner on Klipr, co-producer, and how any Chinese-Russian cooperation might affect this is unknown to me. I guess I am just not current.

I do think that Klipr will end up with oxygen-ethanol control engines. That's a really good technology; the surprising thing was the high specific impulse now available for them.

Another factor here is that China has adopted a self-reliant policy in technology.

Of course, the wild card here is what actions the leaders on Taiwan take, and mainland responses. Again, I am not current. There may be an outburst of nationalism on the mainland after the Shenzou launch; at least there was the last time.

It's going to be an interesting month.