By Guo Xiaobing
On April 24, the UN Security Council voted on a draft resolution concerning arms control in outer space. Russia vetoed the draft resolution tabled by the US and Japan on the placement of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in outer space. And the proposal of China and Russia to amend the resolution on preventing the weaponization of outer space also failed to be adopted. All of this demonstrated the difficulties in advancing international arms control in outer space.
The draft resolution introduced by the US and Japan manifested a strong political intention. For a long time, the US has shown little interest in the prevention of space weaponization. For instance, the UN once adopted a resolution requiring that a Group of Governmental Experts be established to consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. However, the US, out of political purposes, vetoed a consensus document reached by various parties in March 2019. Some may wonder why the US is now so active in this.
A simple retrospect can reveal the answer. On February 14, Mike Turner, chairman of the US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, urged the White House to declassify information on "serious threats to national security", implying that Russia might deploy nuclear weapons in outer space. Soon after that, the Western media overwhelmingly hyped news about the "possible deployment of space-based nuclear weapons by Russia". Although Russian President Vladimir Putin personally denied that Russia intended to deploy space-based nuclear weapons, the US did not give up. It joined hands with Japan to submit the above-mentioned draft resolution to the UN Security Council. This indicated that the US and Japan did not put forward this draft resolution for the purpose of promoting international space arms control, but rather for smearing and demonizing Russia in an attempt to gain the upper hand in the competition with Russia.
In terms of content, the draft resolution on space arms control introduced by the US and Japan is one-sided in the understanding of preventing the weaponization of outer space. It focuses on calling on UN member states to refrain from developing any nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction specifically designed for deployment in orbits around Earth. In fact, however, the content has long been clearly stipulated in Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty. The draft resolution proposed by the US and Japan is just a rehash of the same old tune and has no practical value for space arms control.
In the face of the growing risks of weaponization that are turning outer space into a battlefield, it is not enough to just repeat these old narratives. Looking back at history, it can be found that the moment mankind entered outer space, the process of space militarization began. During the Cold War, space facilities were mainly related to the reconnaissance, early warning, command and control of nuclear weapons, which remained part of integrated approaches at the strategic level. After the Cold War, space facilities became so powerful in supporting conventional warfare that the Gulf War was called the first "space war". Today, space facilities are not only providing combat support, but also turning into an independent military force that can attack and defend on its own. In this context, the likelihood of space becoming a battlefield has increased dramatically. This trend is manifested in the following aspects. In terms of military structure, many countries have begun to establish space forces; in terms of space equipment, the risk of an arms race in outer space has increased substantially. Against such a backdrop, the international community should work out a comprehensive and systematic space arms control program as soon as possible, instead of "putting old wine in a new bottle" as a few countries did.
It is imperative to promote an international consensus on a treaty on preventing the weaponization of outer space. Since 2002, China and Russia have been pushing for such a treaty. In 2008, the two countries jointly submitted to the Conference on Disarmament the draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT). The draft treaty, which aims to ensure peace and security in outer space, makes up the structural deficiencies of the Outer Space Treaty and is of great significance for preventing the weaponization of outer space. The amendment to the draft resolution proposed by China and Russia also reflects the spirit of the draft PPWT.
Out spacer is a shared place, rather than a "backyard" of a few countries. It should be a new frontier for win-win cooperation, instead of an arena for confrontation among countries. At present, space security governance is standing at a crossroads, and all countries should prioritize the prevention of space weaponization, kick off relevant negotiations as soon as possible, and ensure the peaceful use and development of outer space through international legally binding instruments.
(The author is the director of theCenter for Arms Control Studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.)
Editor's note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
