宇宙協力で作業部会　中ロの覇権拡大けん制―技術系奨学生制度を新設・日米豪印首脳

　【ワシントン時事】米ホワイトハウスで２４日午後（日本時間２５日未明）に開かれる日米、オーストラリア、インド４カ国（通称クアッド）首脳会議で、各国首脳が新たに宇宙分野の作業部会立ち上げで合意することが分かった。米国の大学院に各国から技術系の学生を招請する奨学生プログラムも新設する。米政府高官が２３日明らかにした。
　同高官によると、宇宙部会では各国が持つ人工衛星や船舶の情報を共有する「海洋状況把握（ＭＤＡ）」で協力を模索。漁船の違法操業の監視や、気候変動の予測・分析に活用する。中国やロシアが宇宙での軍事的影響力を増す中、クアッドが国際的なルール作りを主導し、中ロの覇権拡大をけん制する狙いも背景にあるとみられる。（2021/09/24-19:17）

Leaders of the "Quad" nations of the United States, Japan, Australia and India at their meeting at the White House on Friday afternoon are set to agree on the launch of a working group on space cooperation, a senior U.S. government official has said.
   At the first in-person Quad summit, the participants will also adopt a plan to create a scholarship program in which science and technology students on master's and doctor's courses will study at graduate schools in the United States, the official said Thursday.
   The space working group will seek cooperation in the field of maritime domain awareness, or MDA, aiming to share information about artificial satellites and ships held by each country, the official said, adding that the mechanism will be used to monitor illegal fishing practices, and predict and analyze climate change.
   The Quad countries are apparently aiming to lead international work on rulemaking in a bid to hold in check China and Russia, both of which are increasing their military influence in space.
   Still, a senior Japanese government official said that the four nations' space cooperation is likely to be limited to information sharing in nonmilitary areas, as India, which borders China, is negative about making the Quad framework a military alliance.