Chasing rockets in China

A file picture of a child reacting to a display showing the launch of Chinese space rockets in Beijing. China’s burgeoning space programme plans to place astronauts on the moon before 2030. — AP

In the hush of the night, a blaze of brilliance pierced the darkness, its fiery ascent thundering through the clouds.

On the sandy beaches, rooftops and balconies of high-rise residential buildings in Longlou, a quaint township in southern China, all eyes turned skyward, as the resounding rumble of the carrier rocket and the thunderous roar of the crowd swept over this town located in Wenchang City in the island province of Hainan.