Washington DC [US], September 13 (ANI): NASA has announced new restrictions barring Chinese nationals holding US visas from accessing its facilities, research programs, and internal networks.

The move highlights Washington's growing concerns over safeguarding America's space leadership as competition with Beijing intensifies, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, individuals of Chinese nationality who had been contributing to NASA projects as contractors or researchers were notified on September 5 that their access was terminated. Many reportedly found themselves abruptly locked out of digital systems and barred from both in-person and virtual meetings tied to their work.

NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens confirmed the policy shift, stating that the agency had taken 'internal action' to limit both physical and cybersecurity risks. She emphasised that the restrictions were necessary to protect sensitive operations.

The decision follows heightened scrutiny of Chinese nationals across US technology sectors, with multiple espionage cases in recent years tied to the Chinese Communist regime, according to The Epoch Times.

It remains uncertain whether a specific security breach prompted NASA's move. When asked for further clarification, the agency referred The Epoch Times to comments made by acting administrator Sean Duffy on Fox Business. Duffy stressed that the United States must lead what he called a 'second space race,' warning that China's lunar ambitions are driven by military objectives rather than peaceful exploration.

US defence officials have voiced similar concerns. General B Chance Saltzman, head of the Space Force, earlier cautioned that Beijing's space program is tightly linked to its military strategy. Meanwhile, China has accelerated efforts, including testing its Long March-10 moon rocket in August, as it aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface by the decade's end, as reported by The Epoch Times. (ANI)