China's First Lunar Probe

So China recently sent their first lunar probe into space.

You read that correctly. In the past, sending junk into space was a way to get ahead in a power struggle. Reading this news just made me think, "Isn't it a little late?"

What is China trying to accomplish by doing this? What are they going to discover that's going to be any different than what's already been discovered? Aren't we in a more global world community now where scientists can work together? If their reasoning had to do with being a rising power, why don't they update themselves a little to current power struggle methods?