Within the past several weeks, China has announced a series of initiatives related to planetary defense. At the end of June, it unveiled plans to establish an asteroid early-warning network for planetary defense. A few days ago, China also released further details about its asteroid deflection mission, which has been under development for several years. The mission is currently scheduled for 2027, although the launch date may still change. The mission is expected to involve sending a spacecraft to impact an asteroid in an attempt to alter its trajectory and, potentially, disrupt its structure.
These steps are part of broader long-term plans. In 2018, China joined the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), both of which operate under the auspices of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. The 2021 Space White Paper elevated planetary defense to one of China’s policy priorities for the coming years, outlining plans to develop a near-Earth object defense system by improving its monitoring, cataloguing, early warning, response, and disposal capabilities.
In 2022, China established the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), which is responsible, among other tasks, for conducting research on planetary defense. DSEL is led by Wu Weiren, one of China’s leading space engineers and the chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. In February 2025, Chinese media reported that the government had opened three new positions for planetary defense experts. The following month, DSEL organized a conference on near-Earth asteroid defense, attended by more than 50 Chinese experts.
Planetary Defense and National Priorities
One may wonder why an authoritarian state such as China is paying increasing attention to planetary defense despite the low probability of a major asteroid impact. This raises the question of what political and strategic objectives these efforts serve.
In a recent peer-reviewed article published in Space Policy, my co-authors and I examined China’s motivations for expanding its role in planetary defense. One important factor is the ambition to build China’s image as a strong space power. In 2022, Xi Jinping stated that “to explore the vast cosmos, develop the space industry and build China into a space power is our eternal dream.”
Engagement in planetary defense also enables China to present itself as a comprehensive space power, in line with the vision articulated in its 2016 Space White Paper of becoming “a space power in all respects.” At the same time, because planetary defense is widely perceived as an activity that serves the global public good, China’s growing involvement reinforces its image as a responsible power. In doing so, it aligns with Beijing’s broader narrative of building “a global community of shared future” for all of humanity.
Another important motivation is domestic legitimacy. The national space program…
Read More: Why China Is Investing in Planetary Defense – The Diplomat
