Chinese Star Wars

Well, it is the 21st century:

Britain has joined the US, Japan and Australia's condemnation of China after the communist country destroyed a satellite in space using a ballistic missile.

What gets me is the naivety of these enlightened statesmen, thinking they can prevent the world from developing outer space capable defense systems. Just like the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty or the Treaty of Versailles, you can't prevent sovereign nations from advancing their defensive and consequently offensive military capabilities.

“We are concerned about it firstly from the point of view of peaceful use of space, and secondly from the safety perspective,” Mr Shiozaki said.

Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the American National Security Council, said the US “believes China’s development and testing of such weapons is inconsistent with the spirit of co-operation that both countries aspire to in the civil space area”.

Alexander Downer, Australia's foreign minister, said his country did not want to see “some sort of spread, if you like, of an arms race into outer space”.

Taro Aso, the Japanese foreign minister, said the Chinese had sought to reassure Japan its intentions in space were of no threat to anyone.

“China consistently uses space only for peaceful purposes,” Mr Aso quoted the Chinese foreign ministry as saying.

The comments fit with the ruling Communist Party’s mantra in recent years that the nation’s rise as a world superpower should not be feared.

China joined the exclusive club of top space nations in 2003 when it sent up its first manned mission, joining the United States and Russia.

There has always been and always will be arms races.