（June 11, VIC）

Director General Mr. Qi Dahai,

Deputy Director General Mr. Liu Yunfeng,

Deputy Director Mr. Driss El Hadani,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome, everyone, to the side event hosted by China.

To explore the vast cosmos, develop the space industry and build China into a space power is our eternal dream. Since 1956, when China's space program began from a standing start, seven decades of sustained effort and self-reliance have enabled China to build its space capabilities from scratch, achieving historic advances from artificial satellites and human spaceflight to deep-space exploration. Throughout these developments and transformations, what has remained unchanged is our steadfast commitment to preserving peace and security, promoting openness and cooperation, and building a sound order in outer space.

Preserving peace and security is our steadfast commitment. China firmly believes that outer space should not become an arena for competition among major powers. The peaceful use of outer space is the prerequisite and foundation for the sustainable development of global space activities, and it represents a broad international consensus. Regardless of how space technologies advance or how diverse the participants engaged in space activities become, the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty must be upheld, and the fundamental principle that outer space should be used for peaceful purposes must remain unwavering.

Promoting openness and cooperation is our enduring conviction. The exploration of the vast cosmos cannot be accomplished by any single country alone. Throughout its efforts in outer space exploration, China has consistently pursued international cooperation in the space sector on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, peaceful use, and inclusive development. In the second half of this year, China will launch the Chang’e-7 lunar mission carrying six scientific payloads from seven countries and international organizations, including Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, and the International Lunar Observatory Association. Through concrete actions, China is working to ensure that the benefits of space science, technology, and applications are shared by all, particularly developing countries.

Building a sound order in outer space is our unremitting pursuit. As space exploration advances further into deep space, global governance of outer space is becoming increasingly deepen and substantive. At the same time, new challenges are emerging, including novel types of space activities, the participation of a growing diversity of actors, and persistent gaps in space technology capabilities. We call on all parties to uphold the spirit of true multilateralism, preserve the role of the COPUOS as the primary platform and the Vienna spirit of consensus, and jointly make progress on issues such as space resources, the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, space situational awareness, and coordination of lunar exploration activities.

Looking ahead, humanity’s exploration of outer space will never cease. When we look up at the stars, we see not only the vast cosmos but also the shared future of humankind. China will continue to uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, actively implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, and work together with the UNOOSA and all partners to advance the peaceful use of outer space.

Thank you.