China on Tuesday criticised the United States over its deployment of weapons in space, urging Washington to halt its military build-up in the domain and warning against turning outer space into a potential battlefield.The remarks came a day after US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink publicly acknowledged that the United States has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces against hostile action.China’s foreign ministry said Beijing supports the peaceful use of outer space and opposes an arms race or the weaponisation of the domain.“China stands for peaceful use of the outer space and keeping it safe, and opposes any arms race in outer space or any attempt to weaponize it and turn it into a warzone. We urge the US to stop its military build-up in the outer space, and uphold global strategic stability with concrete actions.”US confirms orbital weapons, keeps details secretMeink made the disclosure while speaking at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday. He did not identify the weapon, disclose when it was deployed or provide details about its capabilities.Also read: Satellites, missiles or something else? US admits it has ‘on-orbit’ weapons for first time“This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action,” Meink said.He later declined to provide further details, saying that revealing the capability could undermine its deterrent value.Meink also refused to say whether the weapon had been tested, what type of system it was or what targets it could engage.The US Space Force subsequently said “space control” encompasses missions aimed at contesting and controlling the space domain through both kinetic and non-kinetic means. Such capabilities can disrupt, degrade or, if necessary, destroy an adversary’s space systems.The disclosure has triggered speculation about the nature of the weapon. Some analysts have suggested it could involve space-based electronic warfare or jamming capabilities, while others have questioned whether the announcement provides enough information to establish a credible deterrent.US expands military capabilities in spaceThe US disclosure comes as the Trump administration expands Washington’s military capabilities in space and develops its proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system.Meink said the US also has “flight-ready hardware” for space-based interceptors, which are intended to destroy incoming missiles while they are still in space.The growing focus on space warfare reflects the increasing dependence of modern militaries on satellites for communications, navigation, surveillance and targeting.China and Russia have also developed counterspace capabilities aimed at disrupting or disabling adversary satellites, raising concerns about an emerging arms race in orbit.Under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, countries are prohibited from placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit. However, the treaty does not impose a blanket ban on conventional weapons or systems designed to interfere with or attack satellites.The US Space Force has said its operations would comply with international law, including the Outer Space Treaty and the law of armed conflict.Meink framed the development as necessary to maintain US military capabilities in an increasingly contested space domain.“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air, but in space,” he said.
