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China Says Anti Satellite Test Did Not Break Rules
Beijing, China (SPX) Feb 12, 2007 The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that China's recent outer space test was not in violation of any international rules. "The experiment was not directed at any country nor did it pose any threat to any country," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu. She reiterated that China is opposed to the weaponization of outer space or an arms race. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday expressed concern again over China's recent outer space test, calling it "a troubling symptom of military activities that are outsized for Beijing's interests". Responding to the creation of a new US-Africa Command headquarters, Jiang said China hopes all countries do more for peace, stability and development of Africa. The Bush administration announced earlier this week that the defence department is establishing a new US-Africa Command headquarters to coordinate all US military and security interests throughout the continent. Jiang said the ministry noted the report, but pointed out that maintaining and promoting lasting peace and stability in Africa is the common desire of all the countries in the region. Commenting on a trial in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jiang said the suspect named "Yu Shanjiang" is a Chinese citizen and thus the Consular Agreement signed between China and Canada in 1997 does not apply to the case. Jiang was responding to a report that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was displeased that Canadian diplomats did not attend the trial in China of the so-called Canadian citizen. Jiang stressed that Yu is a Chinese citizen of Uygur ethnicity. He is suspected to be involved in a series of violent incidents and terrorism activities. She said Yu is on an international wanted list and is a key member of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, declared an international terrorist organization by the United Nations.
earlier related report China allays India's concerns on anti-satellite missile test Beijing, Feb. 9 (PTI): Seeking to allay India's concerns over its recent anti-satellite missile test, China today said the experiment did not target any country or violate any international treaty. Ahead of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing's visit to India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said, "The test is not targeted at any country. It does not pose a threat to any country, nor does it violate any international treaty. "China all along upholds the peaceful use of outer space and opposes weaponisation and arms race in outer space," Jiang said in a written reply to PTI when asked to comment on concerns expressed by senior Indian officials in this regard. "China has never participated and will not participate in any form of arms race in outer space," she said ahead of Li's maiden official visit to India during February 11-14 when he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee, without naming China, had said at an aerospace seminar in New Delhi on Sunday that India wanted space to be kept free of weapons. He asked the world community to redouble efforts to strengthen the global regime for peaceful use of outer space. Two days later, President A P J Abdul Kalam told a gathering of diplomats that peace must prevail at any cost in space where India has much at stake. However, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan has slammed China for the January 11 anti-satellite test and said it went against international convention.
earlier related report Peace in outer space at any cost: Kalam New Delhi, Feb. 7 (PTI): With China's controversial anti- satellite missile test sparking global concern, President A P J Abdul Kalam today said peace must prevail at any cost in outer space where India has much at stake. Addressing a gathering of diplomats here, the missileman-turned-President said India has about 50 communication, eight remote sensing and several scientific satellites in orbit and needs "to keep peace in space at all costs." "In future, we may also move towards getting material from the Moon and creation of a habitat in Mars. These are not anybody's property. We have to keep peace in space," he said during his lecture to the Association of India Diplomats. New Delhi earlier this week called for preserving space as a "sanctuary from weapons" and asked the world community to strengthen the international legal regime for peaceful uses of space like disaster management. Kalam said diplomacy is no more just about discussing materials on earth as "we are moving towards getting material wealth from the Moon and creation of habitat on Mars". Diplomacy should ensure that wars are not stretched to outer space, he said. "If you know the dynamics of war and how it happens and do research on it, we can help avert wars in the future." Research on international peace and understanding with multi-country partnerships could be a subject of common interest to all nations, he pointed out. "This subject can encompass all areas of human development including enlightened citizenship and collective methods to combat obstacles to development particularly all forms of terrorism," he said. Email This Article
Related Links 
El Segundo CA (SPX) Feb 11, 2007Raytheon has delivered the second of two advanced infrared sensor payloads to Northrop Grumman Space Technology for the missile-warning Space Tracking and Surveillance System Block 6 program. Block 6 R and D satellites will demonstrate the key functions of a space-based sensor within the Ballistic Missile Defense System, passing missile tracking data to missile defense interceptors with the accuracy and timeliness necessary to enable them to successfully intercept missile targets. |
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