China regrets Security Council's failure to adopt resolution on outer space security

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China regrets the failure of the Security Council to adopt a resolution on outer space security, a Chinese envoy said Monday.

The Security Council failed to pass a draft resolution on outer space security co-sponsored by Russia and China on Monday because it could not obtain enough votes in favor.

Last month, the Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on outer space security proposed by the United States and Japan. Russia has since then put forward a new draft resolution. The Russian draft resolution recognizes the role and contributions of the Outer Space Treaty while addressing the gaps in it by explicitly prohibiting the placement of weapons of any type in outer space and calling for an early conclusion of a treaty on arms control in outer space, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

These elements have received support from more than two-thirds of UN member states at the General Assembly, hence, capturing the widespread concerns and voices of the international community, the developing countries in particular. China supported and co-sponsored the draft resolution tabled by Russia. However, due to different positions, the draft resolution was not adopted, which China finds deeply regrettable, said the envoy.

The results of recent votes at the Security Council on the two draft resolutions on outer space security indicate that parties have different views on this issue. It will take some long-term efforts to build consensus and much remains to be done in terms of the governance of outer space, Fu said.

"The international community should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, continuously strengthen dialogue, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation, so as to turn outer space into a new frontier of durable security and common development. China is ready to continue to work with the international community to make positive efforts and contributions to the maintenance of outer space security and the promotion of its peaceful use," he said.