Yorkshire CND - China opposes weapons in space

19 May 2005
FM spokesman: China opposes weapons in space
Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/200505/19/eng20050519_185880.html

China Thursday voiced objections to putting weapons into space, saying "space should be utilized for peace."

The New York Times reported Tuesday that the US Air Force is seeking President Bush's approval of a national security directive that could move the United States closer to fielding both offensive and defensive space weapons.

While White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on Wednesday that the Bush administration is preparing to update its space policy to allow for protection of satellites from attack, but is not considering putting weapons into space.

"Space belongs to the commonwealth of all humanity. China has always held the opinion that space should be utilized for peace to benefit humankind," said China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan, when asked to comment on this at a regular press conference.

"China opposes putting weapons into space," he said,

"China deems that active and precautionary measures -- carrying out negotiations or drawing up relevant international laws and decrees if necessary, should be taken to ensure the space will be utilized for the purpose of peace," he said.

19 May 2005
China Says It Opposes Militarization Of Outer Space
spacewar.com

http://www.spacewar.com/news/milspace-05za.html

Illustration of an XSS-11 operating a low-power lidar. In April the United States Air Force launched an experimental XSS-11 microsatellite able to disrupt reconnaissance and communications satellites.

Beijing (AFP) May 19, 2005 China Thursday said it is opposed to the militarization of space, and supports international legal documents ensuring its peaceful use.

"Space is our shared treasure and we have consistently maintained the need for the peaceful use of space so as to benefit all of mankind," foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular briefing.

"We are opposed to the militarization of outer space. We support preventive measures, including the adoption of international legal documents to guarantee the peaceful use of outer space," he said.

Kong's remarks came a day after the White House said it was updating its space policy while denying a report that the changes under consideration could lead to the fielding of offensive and defensive weapons in space.