Misison 3 is not efficient (it would actually slow down efforts to reach Mars with manned flights).Declaring something is relatively easy.Making it stick is something else.Right now, there is an international treaty stating that no country can declare ownership of any planets (including the Moon). However,......
Personally I would welcome a space race to Mars. Then it would get done. Nothing like a little healthy competition to get things moving.
Mission 1 will probably happen.
Mission 2 could happen IF (a big if) the Americans continue to veto China's attempts to participate in space exploration with other countries.
Misison 3 is not efficient (it would actually slow down efforts to reach Mars with manned flights).
"Declaring" something is relatively easy. Making it stick is something else. Right now, there is an international treaty stating that no country can declare ownership of any planets (including the Moon). However, it is possible that China (or some other country) finds a way to explore and mine other bodies (including Mars and the Moon) for the resources there. For now, though, this would not be a good economical move.
For example, even if there was pure gold lying on the surface of the Moon, just collecting it and bringing it back to Earth would cost more than the value of the gold.
Most of the low-gravity training needed for a trip to Mars can be done right here on Earth (or on board special planes that can fly low-gravity trajectories).
