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The second Yangquan Liu Cixin Science Fiction Cultural Week Photo: chinanews.com

Elon Musk is like a character straight out of science fiction novels and is a person who is turning science fiction into reality, said renowned Chinese author Liu Cixin, known for his epic novel The Three Body Problem.

Liu made the remarks during a panel discussion at the second Yangquan Liu Cixin Science Fiction Cultural Week, which kicked off on Sunday in Yangquan, North China's Shanxi Province, Liu's hometown, China News Service reported on Sunday night.

"If there were an opportunity, would you like to emigrate to Mars?" Liu was asked at a panel discussion.

Liu's answer was rather considerate. "If it was a round trip, I would be willing to go, but if it is a one-way trip, that would be very difficult for me. Because I still have a lot of work to do on Earth, and I have a family, which is also a practical issue." 

Liu added that "In fact, I admire Musk very much. He is like a character straight out of science fiction and he turned many of the things in our sci-fi novels into reality. Although the Mars immigration plan may face challenges and many difficulties, I still hope he will succeed."

Rocket company SpaceX plans to launch about five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars in two years, Musk, owner of SpaceX, said in a post on social media in late September.

Media reported that the Sunday event in Yangquan also witnessed the inauguration ceremony of Liu Cixin Sci-Fi Museum. The Hugo prize award to Liu for his most popular work, The Three-Body Problem, is showcased at the museum.

Liu was born in June 1963 in Yangquan.


Global Times