Beijing: China has urged the United States to stop expanding its military capabilities in outer space after Washington publicly acknowledged that it has deployed weapons in orbit. Beijing warned that such developments could fuel an arms race and increase tensions in space.
The Chinese response followed remarks by US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink on September 14. Speaking at the 2026 Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Meink said the United States has “on orbit space control weapons” capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile action.
The US Department of the Air Force later published details of Meink's remarks, confirming that he had acknowledged for the first time that the Space Force has deployed weapons in space.
The announcement was a significant public acknowledgement of an existing US military capability in orbit. However, Washington has not disclosed the type or number of weapons involved. It has also not said when they were deployed, where they are operating or what specific systems or targets they are designed to engage.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on September 15 that China opposed the weaponisation of outer space, an arms race in space and attempts to turn space into a war zone.
“We urge the US to stop expanding military build up in outer space, and uphold global strategic stability with concrete actions,” Guo said.
China has repeatedly called for the peaceful use of outer space and stronger international efforts to prevent an arms race beyond Earth. Beijing has also expressed concern about the development of military capabilities that could threaten satellites and other space systems.
Russia has also criticised the US announcement, warning about the possible consequences of deploying weapons in orbit and its impact on stability in space. Moscow has previously called for international measures to prevent an arms race in outer space.
The United States has for years developed military capabilities intended to protect its satellites and other space systems. Washington has also warned about the growing space capabilities of China and Russia.
The latest announcement does not mean that the United States has only now begun developing military systems for space. The new development is the public acknowledgement by a senior US defence official that weapons are already deployed in orbit.
The term “space control weapons” is broad and does not by itself establish the exact nature of the systems. The US government has not said whether they are designed to physically destroy satellites or use other methods to disrupt or interfere with space systems.
Meink's remarks were part of a wider discussion about the modernisation of the US Air Force and Space Force. He referred to developments including space based interceptors, satellite constellations and other technologies intended to strengthen US military capabilities.
The growing military use of space has raised concerns among governments about the possibility of a wider arms competition. Satellites play an important role in communications, navigation, intelligence, weather monitoring and military operations, making space systems increasingly important to national security.
International law places some limits on military activity in space. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits countries from placing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit around Earth. It also prohibits military installations, weapons testing and military manoeuvres on the Moon and other celestial bodies.
The treaty does not, however, simply prohibit every conventional weapon from being placed in Earth orbit. The legal framework governing particular military systems depends on the circumstances and the way they are designed and used.
For now, the main unanswered question is what weapons the United States has actually deployed and what those systems are capable of doing.
The US says its orbital space control weapons can defend American forces against hostile action. China says Washington should stop expanding its military build up in outer space and work to preserve strategic stability.
The exchange highlights a growing challenge for the international community as major powers seek to protect their space assets while developing capabilities that could affect those of potential adversaries. How those capabilities are managed could become increasingly important to efforts to prevent a wider military competition in outer space.