China’s state security ministry has raised concerns about foreign intelligence agencies attempting to steal secrets from its space program as global competition for space dominance intensifies. The ministry, in a statement on its official WeChat account on Wednesday, highlighted space as an emerging “battlefield for military struggle,” emphasizing that safeguarding space security is now a critical strategy for China’s future survival and development.
“Some Western countries have formed space combat forces, exercised space capabilities, and view China as a major competitor in this field,” the ministry stated. It also accused foreign intelligence agencies of using high-precision satellites to remotely spy on and steal secrets from China’s space sector.
While specific countries were not named, the ministry noted increasing tension in the global competition for space resources, including limited orbital and spectrum resources. The rising threat of satellite and rocket debris collisions was also mentioned.
China’s space ambitions include a lunar astronaut landing by 2030, with Russia as a partner, and the development of a lunar base by 2035. The country’s space agency plans to establish a moon-orbiting station by 2045. In June, China successfully landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon, a critical step in its ongoing lunar exploration efforts.