"Shirking responsibility and diverting attention is not the responsible attitude that a space power should have!"

According to reports, in a note sent to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs on January 28, the US side denied China's claim that the Starlink satellites had twice endangered the Chinese space station, saying that the activities of the Starlink satellites did not meet the threshold of the established emergency collision standards, so emergency notice was not required in any case. The US note also said that before sending a note to the United Nations, China did not contact the relevant US departments and express concerns about the danger caused by the Starlink satellites.

In this regard, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on 10 February that China's briefing to the United Nations on the dangerous approach of the Starlink satellite to the Chinese space station and the threat to the safety of astronauts in orbit are fulfilling its international obligations under Article 5 of the Outer Space Treaty. "In the relevant collision avoidance incident, the US Starlink satellites are in a continuous orbital maneuvering state, and the maneuvering strategy and intention are unknown. Chinese astronauts in orbit face real and urgent security threats. China has had to adopt preventive collision avoidance controls. ”

Zhao Lijian said that after the collision avoidance incident, the Chinese authorities repeatedly tried to contact the US side by email, but did not receive a reply. Today, the United States is using the so-called "lower limit of the emergency collision standard" to shirk responsibility and divert attention, which is not the responsible attitude that a space power should have. What's more, the US side does not have the right to unilaterally set a "lower limit of emergency collision standards".

He said that article IX of the Outer Space Treaty stipulates that the exploration and use of outer space by each State Party shall be based on the principle of cooperation and mutual assistance; China has registered the relevant information on the space station with the United Nations and published the number of orbital roots of the Chinese space station on its website.

"Proceeding from safeguarding the safety of Chinese astronauts and the space station, China is willing to establish a long-term communication mechanism with the United States, and hopes that the United States will take practical measures to avoid the recurrence of such incidents." China also hopes that all countries will jointly respect the international system of outer space based on international law and work together to safeguard the life safety of astronauts in orbit and the safe and stable operation of space facilities. Zhao Lijian said.

Source: Xinhua Viewpoint