Washington/IBNS: The head of the United States Space Force, General Chance Saltzman, has raised concerns over the rapid pace of China’s military developments in space, warning of escalating risks of orbital warfare.

“The number of different categories of space weapons that [China has] created and... the speed with which they're doing it is very threatening," Saltzman told the Financial Times.

While on a European visit, Saltzman emphasized growing threats from China and Russia in space and underscored the need for close collaboration with European allies on deterrence strategies.

“One of the reasons you have a space force in the US now is in recognition of the last 20 years, [Russia and China] have developed and demonstrated the ability to conduct war fighting in space,” he said, as quoted by FT.

In a separate interview with Politico, Saltzman noted that China’s rapid military expansion in space is a more pressing concern for Washington than the possibility of Russian nuclear weapons in orbit.

Saltzman added that China's deployment of “hundreds of satellites” as part of a targeting system is particularly “concerning” because of its potential to support Earth-based missions.

The US military has long relied on space-based assets for communication and missile targeting, an area where China’s growing space capabilities aim to challenge a historical US advantage.

In response, Beijing has denied that its expanding space programme poses a threat, with China’s foreign ministry accusing Washington of “repeatedly hyping up China” as a pretext to bolster US military presence in space and maintain “military hegemony,” according to Financial Times.

China and Russia are reportedly working together on a lunar station project, which has attracted countries like Egypt, South Africa, Thailand, and Pakistan and stands in competition with the US-led Artemis moon programme.