China

At a hearing held in the US Congress on Wednesday local time, American space experts, government officials, and members of Congress reached or reinforced a unified understanding: "For the US and its partners not to be on the moon when others are on the moon, is unacceptable." The US and its allies should win the 21st century "space race" and lead a "rules-based international order" there before China creates its own "undesirable norms."

In plain language, this statement suggests that after the US, along with its allied nations, has used the banner of the so-called "rule-based international order" to engage in geopolitical efforts to contain China on Earth, they now want to apply the same tactics in outer space. They view the moon as the first "arena" for competition among nations beyond Earth. From this perspective, the true purpose of the US "return to the moon" plan is far from pure. It goes against the universal human desire to explore and utilize outer space for peaceful purposes. The extension of US geopolitical strategies from "land" to "space" is not just a significant escalation in competition but, in a sense, a step backward.

Full editorial: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202401/1305700.shtml