Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on December 28, 2021
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CNR: The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space said the other day on its official website that on December 3, the Permanent Mission of China to the UN and other International Organizations in Vienna sent a note verbale addressed to the Secretary-General of the United NationsUNO The main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established under the UN Charter when the Organization was founded in 1945. It has 193 members., informing him that Starlink satellites launched by Space Exploration Technologies CorporationCorporation A legally established entity that can enter into contracts, own assets and incur debt, as well as sue and be sued—all separately from its owner(s). The term covers both for-profit and nonprofit corporations and includes nonstock corporations, incorporated membership organizations, incorporated cooperatives, incorporated trade associations, professional corporations and, under certain circumstances, limited liability companies. (SpaceX) of the US had two close encounters with the China Space Station this year, posing a threat to the safety of the astronauts in the station. Could you confirm this? As a State Party to the Outer Space Treaty, what international responsibility should the US assume for relevant activities?
Zhao Lijian: I can confirm that Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX of the US had two close encounters with the China Space Station in July and October this year respectively when Chinese astronauts were working there. For safety considerations, the China Space Station implemented preventive collision avoidance control.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which is widely recognized as the cornerstone of international space law, stipulates that “States Parties to the Treaty shall regard astronauts as envoys of mankind in outer space”; respect and protect their safety; “immediately inform the other States Parties to the Treaty or the Secretary-General of the United Nations of any phenomena they discover in outer space … which could constitute a danger to the life or health of astronauts”; and “bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space” conducted by their private companies. To fulfill its Treaty obligations and ensure the safety of astronauts, the Chinese government informed the UN Secretary-General of the above dangerous phenomena as well as the measures taken by the Chinese side on December 3 through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna and requested the Secretary-General to circulate the information to all States Parties. The US claims to be a strong advocate of the concept of “responsible behavior in outer space”, but it disregarded its Treaty obligations and posed a grave threat to the safety of astronauts. This is typical double standard.
Exploration and peaceful uses of outer space is a common cause of all humanityHuman Ο άνθρωπος (Humanum> Homo sapiens) मानव:. We have failed to consider the minimum need to be a 'human'. For Christians, human beings are sinful creatures, who need some saviour. For Evolution biology a man is still evolving, for what, we don´t know. For Buddhist Nagarjuna, the realisation of having a human body is a mere mental illusion. We are not ready to accept that a human is a computer made of meat. For a slave master, a human person is another animal, his sons and daughters are his personal property. . Guided by the vision of advancing the welfare of all, China is committed to peaceful uses of space. The US should respect international order in space based on international lawInternational law International law imposes legal responsibilities of States in their conduct with each other, and their treatment of individuals within State boundaries. It includes International trade, human rights, disarmament, international crime, refugees, migration, problems of nationality, the treatment of prisoners, use of force, and conduct of war, among others. Bentham in his Principles of International Law (1786–1789) envisaged that an international code, which should be based on a detailed application of his principle of utility to the relations between nations, would not fail to provide a scheme for an everlasting peace. Read: United Nations Charter, take prompt measures to prevent such incidents from recurring, and act responsibly to safeguard the safety of in-orbit astronauts and the safe and steady operation of space facilities.