China Opposes 'Arms Race in Space' as US Warns About New Russian Nuke

China has opposed any arms race in space following a warning by the U.S. over Russia's intention to deploy an anti-satellite weapon.

"China's position on arms control in space is consistent and clear. We advocate the peaceful use of space and oppose an arms race in space or the weaponization of space," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday.

China's official statement comes after Russia's progress in developing a space-based nuclear weapon, which would abandon the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, was made known to the U.S. Congress by the members of the House Intelligence Committee. A senior member of Congress has called on the Biden administration to declassify the information on the progress of the Kremlin's space weapons.

The weapon is an anti-satellite capability that Russia has made progress in developing and intends to deploy in space.

In recent years, China has called for avoiding the weapons race in space by calling on countries to abide by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, abiding by the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. China signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and acceded to the treaty in 1983.

"Space war cannot be won and must never be fought. The history of the nuclear arms race should never be repeated in space. All nations share broad common interests in outer space. We should preserve space as a new frontier for cooperation rather than a battlefield for competition and confrontation," China's Mission to the United Nations said at the U.N. General Assembly meeting on 30th April 2021.

The disclosure of Russia's space-based nuclear weapon was made partially due to a warning to Congress by a panel led by Representative Mike Turner, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

"I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat," Turner said in a statement to Congress.

"We need to make certain that we avert what could be an international crisis," Turner told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Saturday while defending his decision to call for declassification of the intelligence about Russia's new weapon.

"At the moment, the United States does not have the ability to counter such a weapon and defend its satellites," the New York Times reported on February 14, citing official sources.

The New York Times said that a "satellite-killing weapon," if deployed, could attack civilian communications and surveillance capability from space while targeting command and control operations belonging to the U.S. and allies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement on Tuesday that the Kremlin isn't developing a space-based weapon.

"Our position is quite clear and transparent: we have always been and remain categorically opposed to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space," Putin said.

"Just the opposite, we are urging everyone to adhere to all the agreements that exist in this sphere."