Resignation Just ‘One Small Step’

Technician Zhang Xiaoping’s resignation has become a hot topic in the Chinese online community after it was revealed that it may impact China’s lunar exploration program. The post cited a document from the Xi’an Aerospace Propulsion Institute as saying that Zhang was involved in the development of low-temperature liquid propellant engines vital for the rockets, but that he had also been paid meager wages for a long time, which led to him finding new employment at a Beijing company for a vastly bigger salary. The State-owned institute attempted to get Zhang back by filing documentation to the local labor bureau which apparently exaggerated his role. The institute came under fire, with netizens shifting the debate onto why State-owned enterprises find it increasingly hard to keep skilled staff.