Washington: NASA's top administrator, Bill Nelson, warned that China is becoming increasingly competitive to get to the Moon and if won, the country may claim ownership of "vast swaths of the moon."
Speaking to Politico, he added that the next two years may determine who between China and the US will win the race to the moon. He stated that we are in a space race. "It is true that we better watch out that they don't get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, 'Keep out, we're here, this is our territory."
The astronaut drew parallels between China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea and attempts to get to the Moon. "If you doubt that, look at what they did with the Spratly Islands." Beijing has repeatedly asserted sovereignty over the international water body and its parts that belong to other nations like Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
China is aiming to land astronauts on the moon by the end of the decade. An ambitious plan was outlined in December to fuel space infrastructure development and the establishment of a space governance system. The US space agency is working on Artemis lunar missions and has been successful with the Artemis I mission.