China has issued a stern rebuke to former U.S. President Donald Trump following the announcement of his administration’s $175 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative, warning that the plan threatens to undermine global strategic balance and accelerate a new arms race.
In a strongly worded statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Washington to “abandon the development and deployment of a global missile defense system as soon as possible,” calling the Golden Dome a provocative move that could destabilize decades of international arms control agreements.
“The United States must recognize that its pursuit of absolute security through such expansive missile defense systems only fuels insecurity for others,” the ministry said. “This approach risks disrupting the global equilibrium and invites heightened tensions between major powers.”
Announced by Trump as a centerpiece of his potential second-term national security agenda, the Golden Dome would be a nationwide defense shield capable of intercepting nuclear, cruise, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, including those launched from space. Trump described it as a “generational investment” to protect the American homeland.
However, Chinese officials view the project as a direct challenge to strategic deterrence. Analysts in Beijing liken it to the controversial U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative of the 1980s, warning that such unilateral systems shift the balance of power and create pressure for rival nations to expand their own military capabilities in response.
While the U.S. insists that the system is purely defensive, Beijing contends that the deployment of advanced intercept technologies—especially with Lockheed Martin and other U.S. defense contractors spearheading development—further entrenches American military dominance under the guise of deterrence.
“History has shown that excessive reliance on missile defense fosters aggression, not peace,” said a senior Chinese military analyst speaking on condition of anonymity. “If one side believes it cannot be hit, it might be tempted to strike first. That’s the real danger.”
China reiterated its long-standing position that global security must be based on mutual trust and cooperation—not unilateral military buildup. The foreign ministry called on the United States to return to the negotiating table to strengthen arms control frameworks, rather than pursuing costly technological shields that alienate allies and adversaries alike.
“True security is achieved through diplomacy, not domination,” the ministry said. “We urge the United States to act responsibly and avoid dragging the world into another dangerous cycle of confrontation.”
As geopolitical tensions simmer in the Pacific and beyond, China’s resistance to Trump’s Golden Dome may mark the beginning of a broader global debate over missile defense, deterrence, and the future of strategic stability in the 21st century.