Press release on Russian-Chinese consultations on outer space security

On 1 February in Beijing the regular Russian-Chinese consultations on outer space security in an inter-agency format took place.

The sides exchanged their assessments of the current situation in this area. They stressed the need to continue close cooperation and active joint efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space and its weaponization.

The delegations emphasized the importance of the earliest launch of negotiations on a multilateral legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space (PAROS) on the basis of the Russian-Chinese draft Treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects. The relevance of the international initiative/political commitment "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" was recognized.

The meeting confirmed the unity of the Russian and Chinese approaches to outer space security. It was noted that there is a need for further close coordination in this area both in a bilateral format, and at specialized multilateral platforms.