All the facilities that China allows outsiders to look at are at the South Launch Center.
A higher level of secrecy rules at the North Launch Site, which played a key role at the height of the Cold War, and probably continues to do so in China's planning for the strategic challenges of the future.
Jiuquan is so secret that even the people formally in charge, the leaders of Gansu province, have little control over what happens, and just as little information.
Hao Yuan, assistant governor of Gansu province, told reporters he would have liked to tell them more about the center, if only he knew.
"Actually, as assistant governor I envy you very much that you have the opportunity to visit the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Site. Some of the things you'd like to know, I'd like to know too," he said.
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