China has taken action against a foreign ship using Elon Musk’s company Starlink in its maritime territory. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, China considers this satellite internet service a threat to its national security. Starlink is completely banned in China, and the company does not have a licence to provide services there. Chinese officials have stated that whenever a ship enters their territory, it must immediately stop using Starlink terminals. Why does China consider Starlink a threat? China has very strict laws regarding telecom and the internet. Foreign companies are not allowed to provide basic telecom services in the country, which includes satellite internet. Control over data: Chinese regulations require that any satellite communication within the country must pass through a “domestic gateway” (local servers). Permission required: To use radio frequencies or devices in China, official government approval is mandatory. Starlink does not have this approval. China fears military implications Starlink is a vast network of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. According to AP, Chinese researchers consider Starlink a “high risk” to China’s strategic interests. Starlink’s communication data passes through foreign gateways rather than domestic infrastructure, which China cannot control. China’s National University of Defense Technology published a paper in 2023 stating that the US is using Starlink technology to boost its military power. Hence, other countries view it as a security threat in nuclear, space, and cyber domains. Preparing to break Musk’s monopoly In the world of satellite internet, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX currently holds a monopoly. Starlink operates in over 140 countries worldwide and received a licence to operate in India this June.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is the only reusable rocket in the world that can be launched repeatedly and regularly deploys satellites. China now wants to break this monopoly. Its private rocket company LandSpace recently tested its new reusable rocket model, Zhuque-3. Although the launch failed, Reuters reports that many Chinese government and private companies are now racing to develop and test their own reusable rockets.
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