U.S. Pressures Argentina, Chile to Halt Chinese Telescope Projects Over Military Fears
U.S. officials say the projects could help China track satellites and expand intelligence reach, while Chile and Argentina have stalled construction.
- Growing geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China has stalled astronomical projects across South America, as Washington officials discourage partnerships citing national security concerns about satellite tracking and intelligence gathering.
- In Argentina, customs authorities froze key components of the Chinese-funded radio telescope project in San Juan Province for about nine months after the bilateral agreement expired last summer, leaving the antenna dismembered.
- Similar tensions halted a Chinese astronomical observatory in Chile's Atacama Desert, where the government suspended the project for review following strong urging from the United States ambassador concerned about expanded intelligence capabilities.
- On Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to Chile Niu Qingbao lambasted the United States for "interfering in Chile's sovereign right to independently choose its partners," dismissing geopolitical arguments about the project.
- Brandon Judd, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to Chile, raised alarms about China's growing footprint earlier this month, emphasizing the Rubin Observatory coming into operation later this year as a counter-weight.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Is This Telescope a Threat to U.S. Security?
Our reporter Emma Bubola visits the foothills of the Argentine Andes to find out why a giant Chinese-sponsored telescope is sitting dismembered. Source link : https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/100000010873671/is-this-telescope-a-threat-to-us-security.html Author : Emma Bubola, Rebecca Suner, Leila Medina, Sutton Raphael, Sarah Pabst and Joey Sendaydiego Publish date : 2026-05-10 16:53:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the…
In the foothills of the Argentine Andes, the huge Chinese radio telescope is located in one of the best places in the world to observe the stars, surrounded by vast and undulating mountain chains and under a sky free of light pollution. It is also on the opposite side of the planet with respect to Beijing, which offers China a window in the middle of the sky that it could not otherwise see. But the Chinese telescope on the spot, the Cesco observ…
Milei halts Chinese radio-telescope project in Argentina’s west
US-leaning administration of President Javier Milei ends a decade-long scientific cooperation project; Cancellation of the China-Argentina Radio Telescope in San Juan seen as part of foreign policy shift.
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