
Hong Kong (Reuters) – China’s state security ministry has accused foreign intelligence agencies of attempting to steal secrets from its space program, as competition in space escalates into what Beijing described as a new “battlefield for military struggle.”
The ministry, in a statement released on its official WeChat account on Wednesday, emphasized that safeguarding space security is now a critical part of China’s strategy for future survival and development. “In recent years, some Western countries have formed space combat forces, exercised space action capabilities, and even regarded [China] as a major competitor in the space field,” the statement read.
The ministry alleged that foreign spy agencies have been using high-precision satellites for remote sensing detection, with the goal of observing and stealing secrets from China’s space activities. Although no specific countries were named, the statement mentioned “infiltration and stealing activities” within China’s aerospace sector.
The use of high-precision satellites has become a significant element in modern warfare, demonstrated by their critical role in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, where real-time and ultra-detailed images have provided substantial advantages on the battlefield.
The statement also highlighted the growing competition for space resources, noting the increasing scarcity of orbital and spectrum assets and the escalating risk of collisions due to abandoned satellites and rocket debris.
China’s space ambitions include sending astronauts to the moon by around 2030, with Russia listed as a partner in the endeavor. In 2020, China successfully conducted its first lunar sample return mission with the Chang’e-5 spacecraft, collecting samples from the moon’s near side.
In June, China achieved a key milestone by landing an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon, paving the way for a landmark mission to collect the first-ever rock and soil samples from the dark lunar hemisphere.
Looking ahead, China’s space agency has set a target of 2035 to establish a “basic station” on the moon’s south pole, with plans to add a moon-orbiting space station by 2045.