Per edited: Bi Luming
According to the CCTV news client, on December 28, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian presided over a regular press conference. According to a reporter's question, according to the documents released on the official website of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations (Vienna) submitted a note verbale to the United Nations Secretary-General in early December, saying that the Starlink satellite launched by the US Space Exploration Technology Corporation (Spacex) has approached the Chinese space station twice this year, posing a danger to the lives and health of the astronauts carried by the Chinese space station.
Zhao Lijian said that I can responsibly confirm to you. In July and October this year, the Starlink satellite launched by the Us Space Exploration Technology Company approached the Chinese space station twice. During this period, Chinese astronauts are on missions inside the space station, and for safety reasons, the Chinese space station has taken emergency collision avoidance measures.
Zhao Lijian pointed out that the 1967 Outer Space Treaty is recognized as the cornerstone of current international law in the field of outer space. The Treaty stipulates that astronauts are envoys sent to outer space by all mankind, and states shall respect and protect the safety of astronauts and notify the Secretary-General of the United Nations or other States parties of phenomena found in outer space that pose a danger to the life or health of astronauts. States should also assume responsibility for all outer space activities of their domestic private companies and safeguard the safety of astronauts in order to fulfil their treaty obligations. On 3 December, the Chinese Government, through the Permanent Mission of China in Vienna, informed the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the above-mentioned dangerous situation and the measures taken by the Chinese side, and requested the Secretary-General to inform the States parties.
Zhao Lijian pointed out that the United States claims the so-called concept of responsible outer space behavior, but it ignores the obligations of the international treaties on outer space, posing a serious threat to the safety of astronauts' lives, which is a typical double standard.
Zhao Lijian stressed: Exploring and peacefully using outer space is the common cause of all mankind, and China has always used outer space peacefully in the spirit of seeking the welfare of all mankind. The US side should respect the international system of outer space based on international law, take immediate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, adopt a responsible attitude, and safeguard the life safety of astronauts in orbit and the safe and stable operation of space facilities.
Documents released on the official website of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space show that on December 3, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations (Vienna) submitted a note verbale to the Secretary-General, informing the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the phenomenon that poses a danger to the life and health of astronauts carried on the Chinese space station: In 2021, China's manned space project carried out five launch missions, and successfully launched the space station's Tianhe core module, The Tianzhou-2 and Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft, Shenzhou 12 and Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft into orbit. The Chinese space station assembly is stable in a near-circular orbit with an altitude of nearly 390 kilometers, with an orbital inclination of about 41.5°. During this period, the starlink satellite launched by spaceX has approached the Chinese space station twice. For safety reasons, the space station assembly implemented preventive collision avoidance control (emergency collision avoidance) for the US Starlink satellite on July 1 and October 21, respectively.
Image source: Screenshot of a document on the official website of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
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