China Calls to Prevent Space Arms Race

China on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, released "China's Position on Strengthening Outer Space Governance." Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented the document as part of Xi Jinping's Global Governance Initiative. The paper states "The risk of an arms race in outer space and the trend of turning outer space into a new theater of conflict have become the gravest threat and challenge to space security." It says "States should oppose offensive military policies in outer space and take all possible measures to prevent an arms race in outer space" and "The achievements of outer space exploration should benefit all countries." China supports negotiations toward an international legal instrument on arms control in outer space and calls for the UN to remain the main channel for global space governance. It calls for reaffirming the principle of refraining from the threat or use of force against outer space objects, and for regulating commercial space activities while encouraging "the development of the space economy." It opposes space use "for activities that harm other countries’ sovereignty, security, or development interests." The release followed US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink's remarks last month that the US Space Force has "on-orbit space control weapons." The same day, China launched an Earth remote-sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province for land surveys, crop yield assessment, and disaster prevention and relief.