China, Russia warn against ‘weaponizing’ space after US confirms orbital weapons | Today’s news
China and Russia on Tuesday warned against the weaponization and militarization of space after the United States confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in orbit, raising concerns about accelerating military competition beyond Earth.
China warns against “weaponizing” space
China’s Foreign Ministry has warned of turning space into a battlefield and called on Washington to stop expanding its military capabilities in space.
“We call on the US side to stop expanding its military capabilities and prepare for war in space,” ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a briefing.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
China and Russia have warned against the weaponization and militarization of space and urged the US to stop expanding its military capabilities in the area.
The US Space Force aims to protect its interests against perceived threats from China and Russia as both nations develop space and counter-space military capabilities.
The US Space Force said these “space control weapons” could disrupt, degrade or destroy an adversary’s space systems using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
The US admission that it has weapons in orbit marks a significant shift in transparency about its military capabilities in space, potentially intensifying an arms race with Russia and China.
Yes, China should be concerned because America’s deployment of weapons in space is seen as a direct counterpoint to China’s military modernization and perceived aggression in space.
Beijing opposed the “weaponization of space, its transformation into a battlefield and the arms race”.
The warning came after the US Space Force confirmed that Washington has “space control weapons” capable of defending US forces against hostile actions by adversaries.
Russia calls for demilitarization
Russia has also called for space to remain weapon-free.
“We count on broad international consolidation to continue working on the complete demilitarization of space,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The US Space Force did not specify the number or type of weapons deployed in orbit. She stated that her space control abilities include kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect an adversary’s space systems.
Why does the US have weapons in space
The U.S. Space Force has identified both China and Russia as major potential threats to U.S. interests in space.
He says China is developing space and counter-space capabilities as part of its military modernization, while Russia sees space as a warfighting domain.
The military competition in space dates back to the Cold War and the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik in 1957. The US and the Soviet Union subsequently developed capabilities to protect their own satellites and potentially disable those of adversaries.
Satellites are now essential for military communications, surveillance, intelligence gathering and navigation.
US disclosure raises arms race fears
The US revelation, which analysts cited by AFP described as confirmation of a long-standing open secret, could further strain relations between Washington and Beijing and fuel fears of an escalating arms race in space.
Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former Chinese army instructor based in Hong Kong, said the revelation was “no surprise at all” because the US’s possession of such weapons had long been widely known.
He said the key difference is that Washington has moved from ambiguity to open recognition of its capabilities.
Song warned that China will not just stand by if the US moves to further deploy weapons in space.
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China could respond to US moves
Song said whether Beijing deploys its own weapons in orbit will depend on Washington’s future actions.
China already has its own space station in orbit, he noted.
The disclosure comes amid broader tensions between the US and China over military and technological capabilities.
Space weapons face regulatory loopholes
The development of space weapons has also exposed loopholes in international law.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but does not prohibit all conventional weapons or technology capable of attacking satellites.
According to AFP, space law expert Laetitia Cesari said existing international rules leave many modern military capabilities in space largely unregulated.
She said the issue could come up at a UN meeting on disarmament in November, as Moscow and Beijing pushed for a treaty limiting the placement of weapons in space, while Western countries favored rules on responsible behaviour.
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