US-China Space Race Extends to South America; Chinese Astronomical Telescope Projects Halted

NEW YORK, May 11 (CNA) — The New York Times revealed that the US-China space race has expanded to South America, with the US pressuring Argentina and Chile to halt Chinese astronomical telescope projects. Scholars have expressed concerns about scientific research being hindered, while US officials worry that Beijing might use such equipment for military purposes.

According to The New York Times, a large Chinese radio telescope at the Cesco observatory in the foothills of the Andes in San Juan Province, Argentina, has yet to receive any signals. After repeated pressure from the US government, Argentina ordered a halt to the project. The entire telescope is fragmented due to a lack of critical components, with its giant antenna pointing aimlessly at the sky.

This telescope was a project initiated 15 years ago by the National University of San Juan (UNSJ) in Argentina and the National Astronomical Observatories of China, with an investment of 32 million US dollars (approximately NT$1 billion). The telescope boasts a 130-meter diameter giant satellite dish antenna, touted to capture radio waves from deep space, helping scientists map the birth of galaxies.

US President Donald Trump's administration stated it is pursuing a new version of the Monroe Doctrine, part of Washington's efforts to counter Beijing's growing influence in the Western Hemisphere. China, a major trading partner for many Latin American countries, is seeking to strengthen cooperation in science and security.

This telescope was originally expected to be the largest of its kind in South America, but some final critical components were seized by customs for about nine months.

Documents from the Argentine government cabinet chief show that irregularities occurred during the renewal of the cooperation agreement, leading to project delays. Argentina declined to comment on whether US diplomatic pressure influenced the decision.

Multiple former and current US officials stated that the US repeatedly expressed concerns to Argentine authorities about the Chinese telescope project, worrying that these facilities could be used to track US satellites or link with Chinese satellites. This pressure reportedly began during former President Joe Biden's administration and continued into the Trump administration.

Scientists had hoped to share telescope resources with China and other countries, but the escalating US-China rivalry in the South American desert now poses a threat to the exploration of vast space.

Astronomer Ana Maria Pacheco, 61, said, "We are falling into a political black hole." She noted that this radio telescope would have helped compensate for the lack of such instruments in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern Hemisphere. The US State Department has not yet responded to The New York Times' request for comment.

US officials said they realize it is not easy to completely exclude China's influence in Latin America, but they believe the suspension of the San Juan Province radio telescope project shows that US diplomacy helps curb China's ambitions in space, and even militarily.

At the urging of the US State Department, the US Trade Representative (USTR) added clauses restricting Argentina's cooperation with China in space to new bilateral trade agreements. The agreement requires Argentina to "cooperate with US government experts to implement adequate control measures over space facilities operated by other countries to ensure they are used only for civilian purposes."

Today, the white metal structure of the telescope stands idle like a giant skeleton. In the basement of the telescope facility, Chinese technicians left behind chopsticks, oyster sauce cans, and tea cans on a table, with Chinese signs on the wall instructing how to deal with pumas.

A similar situation occurred in Chile's Atacama Desert. At the strong urging of the US ambassador, Chile halted a Chinese space observatory project in the desert last year, and the mountain road built for the observatory is now abandoned.

This project was originally planned to install 100 telescopes to monitor asteroids and explosions outside the Milky Way. However, Chilean authorities, after repeated pressure from the US, have prevented the project from moving forward.

US Ambassador to Chile Bernadette Meehan stated that she had raised concerns about this project with the highest levels of the Chilean government, saying that "preventing the project from being implemented is extremely important to the US government," and directly calling it one of her most urgent tasks during her tenure.

She also stated that maintaining close relations with countries like Chile and Argentina is crucial for "preventing China from strengthening its geostrategic breakthroughs." (Compiled by Hung Chi-yuan) 1150511