As China pushes forward with its space program at breakneck speed, worries in the U.S. over national security and competition in technology are rising faster than ever. The competitive dynamics between the two countries have escalated. All three of the nations are very much intent on returning their crews to the lunar surface. These troubling incidents have prompted the US government to take action by increasing restrictions of Chinese nationals. This decision further strains U.S.-China relations as it pertains to international space exploration cooperation.
China’s ambitions in space are pretty clear. Indeed, the nation has been very public about its intent to land on the Moon first, literally before the U.S. The speed and persistence with which China has improved their space capability has caused a stir in the US government. They view such advancements as an outright threat to American leadership in space exploration.
At the time, NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy underscored the significance of such competition. He stated, “We’re in a second space race right now. He continued to emphasize that “The Chinese, they want to go back to the moon before us. That’s not going to happen.” This feeling is indicative of a new anxiety sweeping America about its technological superiority. Both countries are ambitiously racing each other for bigger and better accomplishments in outer space.
Chinese nationals have been under a growing cloud of suspicion because of espionage claims against Chinese nationals. Incredibly, the US has responded by completely excluding these citizens from visiting NASA facilities. Until now, the only way that Chinese nationals could work directly at NASA was through proprietary contractors or PhD students adding to the nation’s research. But they have now lost their entire access to NASA’s systems and facilities. This has the effect of severely restricting their participation in U.S. space endeavors.
The International Space Station (ISS) exclusion of China exemplifies this growing ideological chasm. The US has prohibited NASA from sharing data with China, leaving it outside one of the most significant collaborative efforts in space. Chinese scientists and researchers have grown more suspicious of US policies. This expanding climate of distrust makes it exceedingly difficult for the two countries to work together.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz remarked on China’s transparency regarding its ambitions, saying, “China has made no secret of its goals.” This recognition leads instead to the more constructive story that both countries realize they cannot achieve their antagonistic goals in space.
Because of the funding scarcity, that inability to pivot has affected government relations, but the competition has even made its way to each researcher’s doorstep. Espionage, real or imagined, is already increasing the difficulty of obtaining visas for Chinese students. This is particularly the case for students in the STEM fields who wish to come to the US. This increasing distrust between Beijing and Washington is a glaring example of how inextricably linked national security considerations are to scientific advancement.