Beijing Presses Washington on Orbital Weapons Disclosure, Warning of Escalation

China has called on the United States to rein back its military presence in space, a day after a senior Pentagon official publicly confirmed for the first time that American weapons are stationed in orbit.

At a regular briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing opposes the weaponization of outer space and its transformation into a conflict zone, urging Washington to “stop expanding military build-up in outer space” and to support global strategic stability through concrete steps.

The comments followed remarks by U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, who said Monday that the United States maintains on-orbit space control weapons designed to defend forces against hostile adversary action. Meink did not describe the systems in question, but the statement represents the most explicit official acknowledgement to date of U.S. weaponry operating in orbit.

Chinese state media responded quickly. The Global Times, a state-backed outlet, argued the disclosure revealed a pursuit of what it termed “space hegemony” and warned it could accelerate an arms race beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Military analyst Song Zhongping told the newspaper the announcement signalled a shift from safeguarding space assets and depending on ground-based counter-space systems toward placing weapons directly in orbit, adding that other nations may feel compelled to respond if Washington continues on this course.

Separately, state news agency Xinhua published an analysis of a recent U.S. orbital military exercise, describing a potential “security dilemma” in which other countries strengthen counter-space capabilities that the United States then interprets as emerging threats — a cycle that could drive further militarization of the domain.

The exchange underscores the growing strategic and budgetary stakes in the space domain, where commercial and listed defence suppliers are increasingly part of the ecosystem. Among smaller-cap names exposed to the sector, OEC shares closed at $5.71, down 5.62% from the previous close of $6.05, giving the company a market capitalization of roughly $322.7 million.

Neither government has announced specific new programmes in connection with the statements, and the dispute remains framed through diplomatic channels rather than any formal treaty negotiation.

What to watch

• Further detail from U.S. officials on the nature of the acknowledged on-orbit systems.
• Any Chinese counter-space testing or programme announcements in response.
• Upcoming earnings and guidance from space-focused defence contractors, including OEC, as budget priorities in the domain evolve.

Source: original release