Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration project, poses for a photo after China's Chang'e-4 mission was awarded the Moon Village Principles - Mission Prize by the Moon Village Association (MVA) at a symposium in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 5, 2019. China's Chang'e-4 mission was awarded the Moon Village Principles - Mission Prize by the MVA at a symposium held in Tokyo Thursday, becoming one of the first projects to win the award. Photo: Xinhua

 China's Chang'e-4 mission was awarded the Moon Village Principles - Mission Prize by The Moon Village Association (MVA) at a symposium held in Tokyo Thursday, becoming one of the first projects to win the award.

Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration project, attended the MVA symposium and delivered a keynote speech, expressing appreciation to the association and the award committee on behalf of the Chang'e-4 mission team.

The prize represents a high recognition of China's lunar exploration, especially the Chang'e-4 mission in the international space field, said Wu.

Besides the Chang'e-4 mission, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) of the United States and Chandrayaan-2 of India also received the award.

China is willing to work with international partners to explore and use outer space peacefully and it will continue to support the activities of the MVA, said Wu.

The Chang'e-4 probe made the first-ever soft landing on the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3, 2019. The complete success of the Chang'e-4 mission has created another milestone in the lunar exploration history of humankind.

The lander and Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2) rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have resumed work for the 12th lunar day on the far side of the moon after "sleeping" during the extremely cold night. A lunar day equals 14 days on Earth.

MVA President Giuseppe Reibaldi said the Mission Prize represents the "Oscar of the lunar exploration field," adding that it is a great achievement for the Chang'e-4 mission that the Chang'e-4 probe became the first spacecraft to make a soft-landing on the moon's far side.

The international community have a common view on lunar exploration, especially the joint development of the moon, and they hope for international cooperation, he said, adding that in the future, China should step up its projects and carry out extensive international cooperation in the follow-up missions so as to gain more scientific achievements and experience.

The Chang'e-4 mission team also received the only Team Gold Medal of the year awarded by the Royal Aeronautical Society of the United Kingdom in November.

The MVA was created in 2017 as a non-governmental organization based in Vienna, aiming to create a permanent global informal forum for stakeholders like governments, industry, academia and the general public interested in moon exploration projects.