In the field of global aerospace, China's rapid development has attracted wide attention from the international community. NASA Administrator Nelson recently warned at a hearing in the U.S. Congress that China has made significant progress in space technology over the past decade and that if the U.S. does not take more aggressive steps, it is likely to be overtaken by China in the next few years.
Nelson noted that the pace of China's space development is alarming, and he believes that there is actually a space race between China and the United States. The United States is pushing its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon in 2026. At the same time, China has set a goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Nelson also expressed concern that if China landed on the moon first, they could claim the moon as their own territory and limit other countries' lunar exploration activities. This concern reflects the complexity of international cooperation and competition in space.
On the other hand, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, stressed at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council that outer space should be the common wealth of all mankind, and should not become the private property rights of a few countries or an arena for international competition. He advocated opposition to an arms race in outer space and called for the negotiation of a new legal instrument to ensure lasting security in outer space. This shows China's positive attitude and willingness to cooperate in promoting the peaceful use of outer space.
However, the draft resolution on outer space security proposed by the United States and Japan, as well as the amendments proposed by China and Russia, have not been adopted in the Security Council, which shows the differences in the international community on the issue of outer space governance.
In general, competition and cooperation in the field of space coexist, and all countries are seeking to promote the peaceful use of space and global cooperation while safeguarding their own interests. The policies and actions of China and the United States, as space powers, will greatly influence the direction of future space exploration and the development of international space law.