China's first spacewalk

China's sends its first astronaut on a spacewalk. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.

China's first astronaut to walk in space, wave to its countrymen and then utter these words: Greetings to all the people in China and the world. Back on earth, they responded with pride.

“I love China.”

“I'm proud to be Chinese,” says this man and many in the crowd.

...as they watched Chai Zhi Gang wave the flag in man’s final frontier.

It was just a month ago that crowds had gathered around this big street to cheer on another major international event--the Olympics. This coming so close on the heels of that event, China's government hopes to send this message that its rising power is not just on earth, but also in space.

A successful space walk is a major step forward for China's plans to build a space station by 2020. In the words of China's Men Space Programme ? "This is a breakthrough!"

The ultimate purpose for exploring space is to pursue peace. China should definitely mark its footprint on this part of history. But with details of its space programme still cloaked in secrecy and under the control of China's military. Concerns linger that this will only expedite a space race. Though analysts who tracked China’s military and technology, called the race small of a crawl and one that may spur more space exploration from the U.S..

I think that the U.S. generally responds , better when (there) is competition and when there isn't .So, in so far as a China's mission is to spur, reminding American decision-makers that there are other countries out there, that are intent upon a main presence, for long-term presence. Yes, I think that's probably a good thing.

At the big screen/, only big dreams being met in this moment--the days of the milk scandals and the earthquake forgotten momentarily. This historic moment seems a natural step to visitors.

Like U.S. , like Russia, they had to do it. To prove that they are big nations.

A big and growing nation, continuing to stretch the boundaries of its power.