China 'seriously concerned' over US Golden Dome defence system
BEIJING: China is "seriously concerned" about the US Golden Dome missile defence shield project and urged Washington to abandon its development, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday (May 21).
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had selected a design for the US$175-billion project and named a Space Force general to head the ambitious programme aimed at blocking threats from China and Russia.
General Michael Guetlein, who will be responsible for overseeing Golden Dome's progress, currently serves as the vice chief of space operations.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, when asked about the project at a regular press conference, said it carries "strong offensive implications" and heightens the risks of the militarisation of outer space and an arms race.
"The United States, in pursuing a 'US-first' policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself. This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability. China is seriously concerned about this," Mao said.
She urged Washington to abandon the development of the system as soon as possible and take actions to enhance trust among major powers.
Trump on Tuesday said that the US Golden Dome missile defence programme should be operational by the end of his second term.
"In the campaign, I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defence shield," Trump said at the White House.
"Today, I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system."
If implemented, this is the first time the US will deploy weapons in space, capable of intercepting and destroying missiles mid-flight.
Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground and space-based capabilities that can detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target.
"Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space," Trump said.
"This is very important for the success and even survival of our country."
While Trump put the total price at about US$175 billion, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the cost of space-based interceptors to defeat a limited number of intercontinental ballistic missiles at between US$161 billion and US$542 billion over 20 years.
Golden Dome has more expansive goals, with Trump saying it "will deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors."
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Trump, said the system is aimed at protecting "the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear".
The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system that has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011.
The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.
The 2022 Missile Defense Review pointed to growing threats from China and Russia.
Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernising its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, the document said.
Russia in January condemned an executive order by US President Donald Trump to build a new missile defence shield, accusing the United States of trying to upset the global nuclear balance and pave the way for military confrontation in space.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the plan was aimed at undermining the ability of both Russia and China to exercise nuclear deterrence.
The planned US move would hinder the prospects for talks on nuclear arms, she said.
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