Ban on Starlink: China says Musk's SpaceX national security threat; What China fears
Chinese authorities have penalized a foreign vessel for illegally using Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet service, within its waters. Banned in China due to national security concerns and lack of operating licenses, Starlink's overseas gateway routing is seen as a threat to strategic interests. China aims to counter this perceived monopoly by developing its own reusable rocket technology.
Chinese authorities recently penalised a foreign vessel for illegally using Starlink within Chinese waters. According to a South China Morning Post report, the satellite-based internet service offered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX – is banned in China and is viewed as a national security threat.
In fact, the company has not been given licence to operate in the country. As a result, vessels equipped with Starlink terminals are required to stop using them when they enter Chinese territory.
Why China calls SpaceX a national security threat
China has a series of laws and regulations that prohibits foreign companies from operating basic telecoms services in the country. This includes satellite-based internet service. Further, satellite communication within the country must be routed through a domestic gateway.
Also, any company or individual using radio devices or frequencies within China must obtain an official approval.
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Elon Musk’s Starlink service, which is essentially a vast constellation of low-orbit satellites, has not been granted this permission in China. According to an AP report, Chinese researchers believe that Starlink “poses a high risk to the Chinese government and its strategic interests” as Starlink’s communications are routed through overseas gateways rather than domestic infrastructure.
The new agency quoted a 2023 paper published by the China’s National University of Defense Technology which said “As the United States integrates Starlink technology into military space assets to gain a strategic advantage over its adversaries, other countries increasingly perceive Starlink as a security threat in nuclear, space, and cyber domains.”
China aims to break Starlink’s monopoly
The US-based SpaceX currently holds a monopoly in the satellite internet connectivity technology.
According to its latest data, Starlink operates in more than 140 countries. In June this year, the company obtained a license to operate in India, overcoming national security concerns in the country. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is the only reusable rocket model that the company uses regularly to launch and put satellites into orbit. China’s private rocket firm LandSpace carried out a full reusable rocket test with the launch of its new Zhuque-3 model earlier this month. While the launch failed, a flurry of Chinese state-owned and private players are now rushing to test launch their own reusable rockets, says a Reuters report.