China’s Policy and Rule-Making Activities on Outer Space: The Case of Preventing Arms Race from the Global Commons Perspective

Abstract

Abstract As China is rising as a space power, it intends to be more active in participating international rule-making activities. International legal rules are needed for the purpose of preserving peaceful order, which is the minimum condition of the outer space as a global common. Under the Conference of Disarmament, China, together with Russian Federation, advanced a draft treaty on the issue of prevention of arms race in outer space. For raising consents among states in the process of international rule-making, China’s policy and rule-making activities have to supply clear solutions to the divergent core issues including arms race, space weapons, use of force and threat of force in outer space, etc. Furthermore, as trust and confidence are imperative to any meaningful norm-setting agenda in international community, China can significantly improve the endeavour in international rule-making through strengthening its credibility.