China has called on the United States to abandon plans to build a new anti-missile defense system called the “Golden Dome”, saying that such an initiative allegedly contradicts the principles of the peaceful use of outer space. The corresponding statement was made by the spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Ning, informs The Global Times.
“We call on the US to abandon the development and deployment of a global missile defense system and take concrete steps to strengthen strategic mutual trust between major powers and protect global strategic stability.”, – said Mao Ning.
According to Mao Ning, the initiative launched by the US violates the principles of the peaceful use of outer space enshrined in the Outer Space Treaty. She also noted that this could lead to the militarization of space and trigger a new arms race.
On the morning of May 21, it became known that US President Donald Trump approved the project to create the Golden Dome anti-missile shield with a total cost of $175 billion. This system is supposed to protect the United States from potential threats from Russia and China and start working in 2029.
The concept of the “Golden Dome” was inspired by the Israeli system that protects the country from rocket attacks. The Republican Party proposed to allocate $25 billion for the implementation of this project within the broader defense package of $150 billion. However, this initiative is currently tied to a controversial bill that is facing difficulties in Congress.
