The US space agency NASA has blocked Chinese citizens with valid US visas from its facilities - a move that effectively bars them from working at one of the most respected space research centres.
Chinese nationals, who could only work at NASA as contractors or students contributing to research, found out on 5 September that they had lost all access to NASA's systems and facilities, Bloomberg news reported, citing sources.
NASA then confirmed this, stating that Chinese nationals would be restricted from using the agency's facilities, materials, and networks to ensure the security of our work.
China's accelerated space program has alarmed the US and ramped up the race between the two biggest economies.
Chinese astronauts are already excluded from the International Space Station (ISS) because Washington has barred NASA from sharing its data with China.
The latest restriction from NASA adds to the decline in scientific collaboration between the two sides due to national security concerns.
As they compete to gain a technological edge, Beijing and Washington have also grown increasingly wary of each other.
The suspicion has made it harder for some Chinese students, especially those studying science and tech, to get visas, or even enter the US once they have secured a visa.
There have also been several recent cases in the US of alleged espionage by Chinese nationals, with scientists in particular coming under scrutiny.
It's unclear how much notice NASA gave to Chinese nationals working for the agency. Bloomberg News reported that they had suddenly found they were denied access to the agency's data systems and were barred from participating in meetings related to their work, both in-person and virtual.
NASA's press secretary Bethany Stevens confirmed that the agency had taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals - including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities.
China has made no secret of its space ambitions, with both Beijing and Washington competing to send their crews to the moon.
We're in a second space race right now, NASA's acting administrator Sean Duffy told reporters in a press conference this week where he discussed US discoveries on Mars.
The director of China's Manned Space Agency last year dismissed US concerns as unnecessary, asserting that China's space exploration is a collective mission for humanity.
At a recent US Senate hearing, lawmakers emphasized the urgency for the US to achieve lunar landing ahead of China, citing national security risks if adversaries gain superior space capabilities.
The stakes extend beyond mere exploration; they encompass the potential control of the Moon's rich mineral resources, including rare earths, metals, and helium, critical for various technologies.
