China's Shengzhou 9 successfully landed under parachutes, completing a 13-day mission that demonstrated the Chinese have the capability to dock spacecraft, both automatically and manually. The three taikonauts also proved they could live and work in a space station module.
The landing was covered live by Chinese television, which suggests a real confidence by the Chinese powers-that-be in the space program. The Soviets, by contrast, did not provide live television of its early space efforts, though, of course, American television did cover Mercury missions live.
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