China reassures on space as air force modernises

By Lucy Hornby

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry insisted on Thursday that the country's intentions in space were peaceful, after comments from top air force brass preparing to celebrate a 60th anniversary worried analysts in the United States.

Like the rest of the People's Liberation Army, the air force is trying to upgrade information capability, modernise its forces and develop homegrown technology.

Its efforts to catch up to the United States in space are a source of pride in China, but have raised alarms in Washington after Chinese air force commander Xu Qiliang spoke of a "Great Wall of steel in the blue sky" in an interview with state news agency Xinhua this week.

A space race between Asia's major and emerging powers has been building in recent years, with China, Japan and India all launching unmanned Moon missions since 2007 and harbouring plans for manned lunar expeditions.

"Competition between military forces is shifting to space, military force is expanding ceaselessly in the direction of space. This shift is a strong trend, this expansion is natural, this development cannot be reversed," Xu told Xinhua.

"Control of space equals control of the ground, oceans and electro-magnetic spheres, it means taking the strategic initiative. Not only major countries' air forces are raising their competitiveness, developing country forces are too."

Xu specified that the air force's only purpose was to guard China's sovereignty and protect world peace and stability, and called for more domestically developed planes.

"China has always advocated the peaceful use of outer space, and opposed the weaponisation of outer space and arms races there," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said on Thursday. "China has not, and will never, participate in any kind of arms race in outer space... We have not changed our stance."