US main driver of space militarization, security threat: China FM
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The US has frequently repeated an old theory about an alleged Chinese space threat.
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A soldier stands watch near the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft sitting atop a Long March rocket covered on a launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Wednesday, April 24, 2024 (AP)
China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused the United States of being the primary driver of space militarization and the greatest threat to space security.
"The United States is a powerful driving force of space militarization and turning it into battlefield, as well as the biggest threat to space security," the ministry said while recalling that the US has frequently repeated an old theory about an alleged Chinese space threat.
Such false statements are merely a way to justify the expansion of the US' military power, the Ministry noted.
"The US openly defines outer space as a territory of combat, actively developing military capabilities in space and provoke confrontation between major powers," the ministry added, noting that China has called on the US to stop spreading false statements and building up weapons in space.
These statements followed a report that a Pentagon official accused Russia of preparing to deploy a nuclear weapon in space.
Assistant Secretary of Defense John Plumb stated that both China and Russia have militarized space.
Russia, in particular, "developing a concerning anti-satellite capability related to a new satellite carrying a nuclear device that Russia is [also] developing," according to Plumb, as quoted by the South China Morning Post.
Read more: US 'ready to fight' China, Russia in space race using military means
Despite China adhering to all established rules and regulations, Sinophobia has persisted in Western agendas. China's growth is increasingly viewed as a growing threat to the West.
Earlier today, the Pew Research Center published result of a survey revealing a significant shift in American sentiment toward China.
Key findings from the survey include that 42% of respondents now perceive China as an enemy of the US, marking the highest percentage since the survey began in 2021 and a significant increase from just a quarter two years ago.
Four in five Americans continue to view China unfavorably, with 43% expressing very unfavorable opinions.
It also found that half of the respondents see China as a competitor, while only 6% view it as a partner to the US.
Previous reports have shown that China has provided substantial aid to developing countries in developing space programs.
