China’s military and state media accused the United States on Sunday of threatening global security, days after Reuters reported that Elon Musk’s SpaceX was building hundreds of spy satellites for U.S. intelligence agencies.
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China’s military and state media accused the United States on Sunday of threatening global security, days after Reuters reported that Elon Musk’s SpaceX was under construction. hundreds of spy satellites for U.S. intelligence agencies.
SpaceX’s Starshield unit is developing the satellite network under a confidential $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Reuters reported on Friday, citing five sources familiar with the project.
A social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army said the SpaceX plan exposed the United States’ “shamelessness and double standards” at a time when Washington accuses Chinese technology companies of threatening U.S. security.
“We urge American companies not to help bad people do evil,” “Jun Zhengping,” an account run by the People’s Liberation Army, said in a post on social media platform Weibo on Sunday. The account has 1.1 million followers.
“All countries around the world should remain vigilant and guard against new and even greater security threats created by the US government,” the post read.
Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge, a magazine run by the ruling Communist Party, said in an interview that the SpaceX satellite program “poses a challenge to global security and stability.”
Wang Yi said in an interview with China’s official newspaper Global Times that “the United States’ high-profile intelligence reconnaissance of countries or regions it is concerned about will inevitably lead to some hot-spot issues becoming more sensitive or even escalating.” on Sunday.
Musk also runs other companies, including electric car maker Tesla, which has significant manufacturing operations in China. Neither Jun Zhengping nor the Global Times mentioned Musk or Tesla.
In response to the Reuters report, the NRO acknowledged its mission to develop space-based surveillance systems but declined to comment on the extent of SpaceX’s involvement.
SpaceX, the world’s largest satellite operator, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the contract.
The planned Starshield network is separate from Starlink, SpaceX’s growing commercial broadband constellation of about 5,500 satellites in space that provides near-global internet to consumers, companies and government agencies.
Over the past two years, Chinese People’s Liberation Army researchers Starlink deployment in Ukraine war studied and has repeatedly warned of the risks it poses to China.
China has said it also plans to start building its own satellite constellation.
Space X, NRO and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on China’s reaction to the contract.
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