China warns Golden Dome may trigger arms race in outer space

The Golden Dome system pressed ahead by the United States and its other actions to deploy space-based weapons will heighten the risk of triggering a space arm race, Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced a 175-billion-U.S.-dollar missile defense system dubbed the "Golden Dome", and revealed that the project would be completed within three years and would protect the entire continental United States, including Canada, from aerial threats.

When responding to a media query regarding this system at a press briefing held in Beijing, Zhang criticized such acts for violating relevant principles of the Outer Space Treaty.

"The U.S. pressing ahead with the deployment of space-based weapon systems such as the 'Golden Dome' shows that it has continued to expand its military build-up in outer space, which would stoke an arms race there. Such acts violate relevant principles of the Outer Space Treaty, heighten the risk of turning outer space into a war zone and triggering an arm race, and undermine the international security and arms control regime. The U.S. actions are tantamount to once again opening the Pandora's box. This proves again that no country has done more than the United States in militarizing outer space and making it a battlefield. China urges the U.S. side to stop expanding its military build-up in outer space and to take concrete actions to uphold global strategic stability," he said.

China warns Golden Dome may trigger arms race in outer space

China's top political advisor Wang Huning has met with delegates attending the 11th national congress of the Taoist Association of China, which was held on Monday and Tuesday in Beijing.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, stressed the importance of implementing the Party's basic policy on religious affairs, and of guiding followers and key figures of Taoism to contribute to the country's modernization drive.

Wang urged the association to exercise full and rigorous governance over the religion, intensify efforts to raise awareness of the rule of law, and foster an image of a Taoist community that is patriotic and devoted to the faith, maintains good conduct, abides by the law, and upholds Taoist precepts.

He encouraged the association to cultivate talent proficient in both canonical teachings and fine traditional Chinese culture, and to expand global exchange in Taoism.

At the national congress, the association adopted a revised charter, as well as a set of religious rules and regulations, and elected new leadership.

Top political advisor meets with Chinese Taoist delegates