China downplays role of Australia ground station in space programme

Beijing downplayed on Tuesday the significance of Sweden’s decision to deny Beijing the use of its antenna at a satellite station in Australia, saying China’s space programme and navigational capabilities in the Pacific region remained intact.

There is at least a decade left on the contract for the Australian antenna, which has not been used or visited by working personnel from China for many years, state-backed tabloid Global Times reported, citing Chinese space insiders.

China’s contract in Australia started in 2009, and is “good for decades,” the insiders told the paper, published by the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party.

China will renew its collaboration with SSC after the current contract expires, they added, without saying if that covered the Australian facility.

On Monday, Sweden’s state-owned space company said it would not renew contracts with China or accept new Chinese business due to changes in geopolitics.