China Demands US Halt Space Weapons Expansion

(MENAFN) China issued a pointed call Tuesday for the United States to rein in its military expansion into outer space, responding to an unprecedented admission from Washington that it has already stationed combat-ready weapons in orbit.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing that Beijing remains committed to keeping space free of conflict. "China has long been committed to the peaceful use of outer space and safeguarding the security in space. We oppose any arms race in outer space or any attempts to weaponize it or turn it into a war zone," he said.

Guo pressed Washington to reverse course. "We urge the US to stop expanding military buildup in outer space and safeguard global strategic stability with concrete actions," he added.

The statement followed comments a day earlier from US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, who confirmed that the Space Force now fields functioning weapons systems in orbit designed to counter threats from rival nations. Speaking at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Meink said: "We continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenge of evolving threats wherever they exist."

He went further, revealing the extent of the shift in posture. "This is why the Space Force now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action," Meink said.

Meink, who leads a department overseeing both the US Air Force and the Space Force, offered no details on when these weapons were activated, what they can do, or whether they involve kinetic strike systems, directed-energy tools, electronic warfare, or cyber capabilities.

Speaking afterward with reporters, Meink indicated the disclosure itself was calculated — a signal meant to project strength rather than invite scrutiny. He said the language used had been "very well thought out" to reinforce military deterrence.

"Talking about the details of what we're doing would actually not benefit that deterrence," Meink said.

He declined to elaborate further on operational specifics. "We're not going to talk about the specifics of what we're doing, whether we've tested, not tested, or anything else. I would just say that the space environment is critical for military and economic security, and we need to make sure that the US can operate freely there."

Meink framed the buildup as essential to maintaining an edge over rivals. "It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space," he said. "So, we've had to take steps to make sure that when we're threatened, we can take care of that."

The admission lands amid intensifying rivalry in orbit, with the US, China, and Russia all racing to build counter-space arsenals capable of disabling or destroying satellites and other assets.

Under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, nations are barred from placing nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit — but the pact stops short of banning conventional weapons systems in space.

Analysts caution that Washington's decision to go public with its orbital arsenal could backfire strategically, potentially pushing Beijing and Moscow to accelerate their own weapons programs in a domain that underpins global communications, navigation, surveillance, and military coordination.

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