Guard the bright starry sky

**Guarding the Brilliant Starry Sky**
*An Interview on the Learning Series of the Overall National Security Concept (Part Ten)*

Exploring the vast universe is a shared dream of humanity, driven by our reverence and curiosity for the unknown. Ancient Chinese myths, like the stories of Kuafuzhiri (Chasing the Sun) and Chang’e (the Moon Goddess), embody the aspirations of the Chinese people to venture into space and explore the cosmos. The successful launch of China’s first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong-1, in 1970 marked the beginning of China’s journey into space exploration. Today, initiatives like the Tianyan (Sky Eye), Beidou navigation system, Zhu Rong Mars rover, and Tiangong space station showcase China’s impressive accomplishments, stunning the globe with its ability to reach for the stars.

Space security is a critical component of national security, representing an unthreatened state concerning space systems, rights, and orbital environments. From a national perspective, maintaining space security involves protecting space assets, interests, and the orbital environment from threats posed by natural and human activities. As a vital strategy for ensuring a country’s future survival and development, space security has become increasingly paramount.

**The Importance of Space Security**
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Exploring the vast universe, developing space endeavors, and building a strong space nation are our unwavering pursuits of the space dream.” To keep pace with the evolving times, enhancing space strategy, maintaining space security, and addressing space-related threats have become crucial choices for safeguarding national security and developmental interests, paving the way for realizing the “Chinese Dream” intertwined with our aspirations for space.

Space is deemed humanity’s fourth frontier, following land, sea, and air. In this new era, space security reflects the extension of national security into emerging domains, safeguarding national strategic interests and demonstrating capabilities. This high ground is significant for upholding China’s sovereignty, security, and developmental interests on a grand scale.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the leadership has placed considerable emphasis on space security, closely monitoring the growth of our space endeavors. The nation has achieved historic milestones, including the successful completion of the “three-step” lunar exploration strategy, advancements in interplanetary exploration, the launch of the Xihe solar probe, and record-breaking numbers of space launches. With an increasingly robust, independent aerospace technology industry, China’s capabilities in entering, utilizing, and exploring space have significantly strengthened, highlighting space’s role in economic and social development.

**Emerging Crises in Space Security**
As space technology rapidly advances, humanity is developing space at an unprecedented rate. Space is becoming a new growth engine for the economy, a battlefield for military competition, and a new domain in national security, prompting major and mid-tier powers to prioritize space development. The security situation in space is becoming increasingly dire.

For instance, the competition for space resources is intensifying. The exploration of space faces challenges with limited orbital and frequency resources, while abandoned satellites and rocket debris flying at high speeds increase the risk of collisions.

Moreover, the arms race in space is escalating. In recent years, certain Western nations have established space warfare units and conducted military training, viewing China as a primary competitor in the realm of space, promoting hegemonic claims and militarization that threaten our peaceful environment.

Additionally, the risk of technology theft persists. Foreign espionage agencies have used high-resolution satellites to conduct remote sensing and surveillance of China, aiming to purloin sensitive information from the space sector. Some nations have infiltrated our aerospace field, tempting and coercing researchers to access our latest advancements.

**A Collective Responsibility for Space Security**
Outer space is a shared treasure of humanity, and pursuing its exploration and peaceful utilization enhances our collective ambition. China adheres to the belief that space endeavors represent a common enterprise for all humankind, actively promoting international collaboration in space exploration built on equality, mutual benefit, and sustainable development. We aim to forge a relatively stable, secure, and mutually beneficial new order for space security, contributing our wisdom and strength to the global community in addressing common space security challenges.

Recently, national security agencies have worked alongside relevant departments to tackle illegal activities aimed at stealing our latest aerospace research through coercion or bribery. This has effectively countered the aggressive intelligence operations of foreign espionage agencies. As we embark on new challenges in the domain of space security, supported by the strong leadership of the Central Party, we will diligently implement the Overall National Security Concept and proactively safeguard our aerospace industry from foreign intelligence threats, reinforcing a secure foundation for building a strong space nation.