US move to militarize outer space vicious

By directing the Pentagon on Monday to create a special "Space Force" as an independent branch of the US military to ensure the safety of US spacecraft and astronauts, US President Donald Trump has sparked concerns that Washington would ignite an arms race in outer space. Since outer space is the common property of humankind, China has always advocated its peaceful use and objected to its weaponization. It also opposes attempts to turn outer space into a battlefield, and hopes all countries will make joint efforts to keep outer space peaceful.

The United Nations' Outer Space Treaty, which came into force on Oct 10, 1967, stipulates that no country should take possession of outer space (including the moon and other celestial bodies) by means of sovereign claims, use or occupation, or by any other means. It also says signatory states must use outer space for peaceful purposes and should not establish military bases or facilities, or test any type of weapons or conduct military exercises in outer space or on celestial bodies.

Still, the Outer Space Treaty has certain fatal flaws. For instance, it does not prohibit any individual or organization from laying claim to a celestial body, or declaring property rights in outer space. In fact, a US company once declared that it owned the moon, while a Spanish national laid claim to the sun. And a US citizen once set up a "lunar embassy" to sell land on the moon, with some media reports even saying former US president Ronald Reagan purchased a "moon plot". These incidents may appear whimsical, but they reflect the problems with the Outer Space Treaty.