The statement came after Washington publicly acknowledged that it has deployed space-based weapons. China on Tuesday called on the United States to stop expanding its military capabilities in outer space, warning that the weaponisation of space could undermine global strategic stability.
The military use of space is governed in part by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
Beijing said outer space should remain safe and be used for peaceful purposes, rather than becoming another arena for military confrontation. Responding to questions about the US deployment, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Beijing firmly opposes an arms race in outer space and any effort to turn it into a potential warzone. “China stands for peaceful use of the outer space and keeping it safe, and opposes any arms race in outer space or any attempt to weaponize it and turn it into a warzone,” the spokesperson said. “We urge the U.S. to stop its military build-up in the outer space, and uphold global strategic stability with concrete actions,” the spokesperson said.
The treaty prohibits countries from placing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit around Earth. Against this backdrop, China’s latest statement reflects Beijing’s longstanding position that outer space should not become a new theatre for an arms race.
