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Topics: China, US News, World News, Donald Trump, Politics
Olivia Burke
Topics: China, US News, World News, Donald Trump, Politics
Donald Trump might be grinning from ear to ear about the prospect of protecting the US with a 'cutting-edge' Golden Dome, but China isn't half as thrilled.
In fact, the nation is 'seriously concerned' about the President's plans for the $175 billion (£130 billion) missile defence system and has urged him to reconsider the idea altogether.
Yesterday (20 May), Trump revealed the concept for the Golden Dome, revealing that he expected it to be 'fully operational before the end of his term' in 2029.
He claimed that the complex defence system would 'protect our homeland from the threat of foreign missile attacks', adding that it would be capable of intercepting missiles 'even if they are launched from space'.
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"We will have the best system ever built," Trump told reporters. "As you know, we helped Israel with theirs and that's been very successful, and now we have technology that is even [further] advanced than that.
"Hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles and advanced cruise missiles - all of them will be knocked out of the air.
"We will truly be completing the job that President [Ronald] Reagan started forty years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.
"And the success rate is very close to 100 percent, which is incredible, when you think of it shooting bullets out of the air."
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So, it's supposedly going to be bigger and better than Israel's 'Iron Dome', which was designed to intercept short-range rockets, shells and mortars, according to the BBC.
It is set to boast ground and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack.
This includes detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target.
The President looked pretty pleased with himself while announcing he was living up to his campaign promise of building a 'cutting-edge missile defence shield', however, China doesn't seem to share the same sentiment.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, didn't hold back when she was questioned about the US' announcement at a press conference.
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She suggested that the Golden Dome carries 'strong offensive implications' and amps up the risk of a war unfolding in outer space, as well as an arms race.
Ning claimed that Trump is putting his country first without considering the consequences, adding: "The United States, in pursuing a 'U.S.-first' policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself.
"This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability. China is seriously concerned about this."
She then called on Washington to pump the brakes on the plans as a matter of urgency, suggesting the US would be better of building bridges with major powers to establish some mutual trust.
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The Pentagon has warned for years that the US needs to update it's countermeasures due to how advanced the newest missiles developed by China and Russia are.
Both of these nations have offensive weapons in space, such as satellites with abilities to disable critical US satellites, which could leave Trump's country vulnerable to attack.
The Golden Dome’s added satellites and interceptors - where the bulk of the programme’s cost is - would be focused on stopping those advanced missiles early on or in the middle of their flight.