The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Illustration: VCG

Amid China's continuous progress in space exploration programs, and against the background of increasing anti-China hysteria in Washington, the US space agency made another irrational move in politicizing science and technology. 

The US space agency NASA has issued new rules against Chinese citizens with US visas, blocking them from working on agency programs. The move was reported by Bloomberg on US local time Wednesday and later confirmed by the agency spokesperson who said it was "to ensure the security of our work."

Bloomberg reported the latest NASA move, citing people familiar with the matter, while highlighting that it comes as Washington escalates anti-Beijing rhetoric amid both nations racing to the moon. The report also stated that the move "is the latest upheaval for the agency during a year marked by staff and budget reductions and questions about the direction of the agency's signature space exploration initiatives."

While NASA typically has restrictions on employing Chinese nationals, citizens of China with US visas have historically been able to contribute to agency research as contractors, graduate students, or university scientists, the report said. But on September 5, Chinese nationals working with NASA were denied access to the agency's data systems and barred from participating in meetings pertaining to their work, both in person and virtually, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision is confidential, according to the report.

NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens confirmed the move, Bloomberg reported. "NASA has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials, and network, to ensure the security of our work," Stevens was quoted as saying.

Amid the continued exaggeration by some US politicians of the so-called "China space threat" rhetoric, NASA has consistently viewed China as a rival and has attempted to suppress and block its space development, observers said. 

Song Zhongping, a Chinese aerospace expert, said NASA's latest move highlights its narrow-mindedness and a strong sense of "persecution paranoia." In fact, excluding Chinese researchers will cause significant losses to the US, as China has sufficient talent reserves, strong corporate capabilities, notable market competitiveness, and relatively low costs. Shutting out Chinese companies and talent will only force American enterprises to bear higher costs and may even prolong project cycles, Song told the Global Times.

"The US has completely politicized science and technology, yet it has forgotten the essence that science and technology know no national boundaries. If it insists on politicizing this field, the US will only remain stagnant in its ways," Song noted.

The US crewed lunar landing program has been repeatedly delayed. Chaotic project management, coupled with frequent management and safety issues with companies such as Boeing, has directly hindered its progress. Song believes US' increasingly restrictive move in the field reflects its growing anxiety. 

Both China and the US plan to send crewed missions to the moon in the next few years. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy attempted to push back on concerns that China would beat the US to the moon, saying in a recent agency-wide address, "I'll be damned" if that happens.

"We're in a second space race right now," Duffy said during a NASA livestream to reporters on Wednesday. "The Chinese want to get back to the moon before us. That's not going to happen. America has led in space in the past, and we are going to continue to lead in space in the future."

First enacted in 2011, the US legislative restriction known as the Wolf Amendment has significantly hindered a range of China-US space collaborations, including joint research on lunar soil. The Wolf Amendment also prohibits NASA, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Space Council from using government funds for any collaboration, hosting, or bilateral coordination with China or Chinese-owned companies without FBI certification. This strict ban has become a self-imposed constraint for the US in the area of space cooperation with China.

Despite repeated US hype over the so-called space race and "China space threat theory," China has made its stance clear. Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, remarked on May 22 that China is committed to the peaceful use of outer space, and opposes any arms race in outer space or weaponizing it. China has no intention of engaging in a space race, nor does it seek a so-called edge in outer space.

In practice, China has also extended a cooperative welcome to the US space science community. At the Space Day of China event this year, China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced the results of international applications to borrow lunar samples collected during the country's Chang'e-5 mission. Applications from seven institutions across six countries were approved, including Brown University, and State University of New York at Stony Brook in the US. These institutions will conduct scientific research using the Chang'e-5 lunar samples.

Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, said China's lunar exploration program has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and win-win cooperation, sharing achievements with the international community.

He added that the CNSA will continue to accept international applications for lunar sample research, and expressed hope that global scientists will make new discoveries that expand human knowledge and benefit humanity.

China plans to carry out its first crewed moon landing before 2030. China has so far successfully conducted escape flight test on its new-generation crewed spacecraft Mengzhou, tested a sub-level propulsion system for the Long March-10 moon rocket in June, and performed comprehensive landing and takeoff tests with the Lanyue moon lander in August.