China releases space governance paper opposing an arms race in orbit
Beijing's position paper rejects the weaponisation of outer space and calls for rules on commercial space activity, Reuters and the SCMP reported.
China released a document on Friday setting out its official position on outer space governance. It restates Beijing's opposition to the weaponisation of space and to an arms race there, according to Reuters reporting carried by The Straits Times and to the South China Morning Post.
The paper is titled "China's Stance on Enhancing Outer Space Governance". Reuters reported that it says "the risk of an arms race in outer space and the trend toward turning it into a battlefield have become the greatest threats and challenges to space security". It opposes offensive military policies in space and calls for "every possible effort to prevent an arms race in outer space".
The document also says China is against the use of space "for activities that harm other countries' sovereignty, security, or development interests". It calls for space to be explored and used for peaceful purposes and says every country's right to access, explore and use space should be safeguarded.
On commercial activity, the paper says China encourages "the development of the space economy" but wants the sector regulated. Commercial space activities should "not infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of other countries, and in particular avoid unlawfully intervening in other countries' armed conflicts and internal affairs", it says.
The SCMP reported that the paper comes weeks after the Pentagon confirmed it had deployed weapons in space.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented the paper at the first Global Governance Forum, held near Beijing on Friday evening, the SCMP said. He described it as one of eight actions under the Global Governance Initiative, a vision President Xi Jinping introduced in September last year.
"We would like to see that the rules of outer space governance keep pace with exploration, reflect broad participation and benefit all countries," Wang told the forum. The SCMP said the audience numbered nearly 400 people representing more than 90 nations.
The two reports give different accounts of who issued the text. Reuters, via The Straits Times, said the foreign ministry released it. The SCMP said state news agency Xinhua published it shortly after Wang's speech.
Sources: South China Morning Post, China warns against space arms race, urges equal rights for all in outer space; The Straits Times, China opposes arms race in space, official document shows.
