China’s Race to Control the Moon Could Decide the Future of Space

China’s plans to establish a permanent base on the Moon could shape who controls lunar resources and the strategic space between Earth and the Moon for decades to come. The race back to the Moon is no longer symbolic — it is becoming a contest over long-term access to the next frontier.

The Risk That China Controls the Moon First

China says its lunar program is about peaceful exploration, but its long-term plans suggest something larger. Beijing aims to land astronauts on the Moon around 2030 and establish a permanent base by 2035, near the lunar south pole. Working with Russia and several partner countries, China plans to build what it calls the International Lunar Research Station, a continuously operating presence on the Moon.

For many observers, the approach seems oddly familiar. In the West Philippine Sea, small research stations and limited infrastructure gradually expanded into permanent installations that strengthened China’s position