Trump unveiled his administration's concept for the Golden Dome programme, which he said is expected to be fully operational before the end of his term in 2029.

18:45, Fri, May 30, 2025 | UPDATED: 18:53, Fri, May 30, 2025

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This comes after Mr Trump announced his Golden Dome programme. (Image: Getty)

The Chinese military has issued a stark warning to Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence programme, claiming it could unleash a "Pandora's box". Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese Defence Ministry, accused the US of "continuously" expanding its military build-up and fuelling an arms race in space, thereby breaching the "relevant principles" of the Outer Space Treaty. According to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the treaty forbids the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in Earth's orbit, on celestial bodies, or in outer space.

The Chinese military spokesperson has warned that the deployment of the Golden Dome system could "heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and triggering a space arms race". He added: "Its actions will once again open a Pandora's box. This proves again that no country has done more than the U.S. in militarising space and making it a battlefield."

President Trump Makes Announcement With Defense Secretary Hegseth In The Oval Office

The US president said the Golden Dome programme would be able to fire missiles into space. (Image: Getty)

On 20 May, Trump unveiled his administration's preferred concept for the Golden Dome programme, which he said is expected to be fully operational before the end of his term in 2029.

The missile defence system will see the US deploy weapons in space to intercept missiles for the first time.

China previously warned that the proposed "highly offensive" US defence system violates the principle of the peaceful use of space.

Its foreign ministry said: "It will exacerbate the risk of turning outer space into a battlefield and starting an arms race."

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Russia and North Korea, both allies of China, have also criticised the US for undermining strategic stability and turning space into a potential nuclear battlefield.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that some of America's space technologies-including space-based sensors and air and missile defence-already exist, but they need to be "seamlessly integrated" to comprise a complete system.

Space Force General Michael Guetlein, who was appointed to oversee the Golden Dome project, warned that adversaries are trying to put the US at risk through the construction of space weapons.