The recent deployment of US space weapons has disrupted a longstanding taboo and could potentially trigger a new arms race, according to speakers at a significant security conference in Beijing. At the Xiangshan Forum, experts highlighted the urgent need for dialogue between the US and China on space security, especially as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for his first state visit to the US in over ten years.
US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed the Pentagon’s deployment of weapons in space, saying, “We are increasing readiness against existing threats,” and noted that there are on-orbit “space control weapons” intended to defend the Joint Force from adversarial actions. However, he did not elaborate on the specific systems being used.
