On [specific date], during the Winter Satellite Symposium at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, Finland signed the Artemis Accords (hereinafter referred to as the "Accords"), becoming the [specific number]th signatory country and the first to sign the agreement in [specific year]. Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs, Ville Ridman, stated that signing the Accords aligns with Finland's latest space strategy, aiming to strengthen cooperation with the United States and other allies, and to create new opportunities for Finland's space sector. Finland is providing a communication system developed by Nokia for the Moon through the Artemis program and the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. This further expands the U.S. strategic alliance in cislunar space. The Accords, signed by NASA on [specific date] with space agencies from seven countries including Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom, pertain to lunar exploration. The increasing number of signatories to the Accords also signifies the intensification of U.S. and allied dominance in cislunar space.

1. The Moon Becomes a "New Battleground" for Great Power Competition

It has been several decades since humans first landed on the moon. Today, the moon has once again become a focal point for human space exploration. In addition to sovereign states, private commercial aerospace companies, higher education and research institutions, and private teams have rapidly emerged as new forces participating in lunar exploration activities. With the advancement of aerospace technology, the development and utilization of the Earth-Moon space have become a hot topic globally.

(1) The mineral resources on the Moon hold significant development value.

As Earth's natural satellite, the Moon harbors mineral resources with immense and almost unimaginable development potential. Beneath its vast and boundless surface lie abundant and diverse deposits of ilmenite and rare earth minerals. Titanium, a key material indispensable for manufacturing advanced spacecraft and aircraft structural components, is found in significant quantities, while rare earth resources are hailed as the "universal key" in modern technology. The most captivating resource, however, is helium-3 on the Moon. This helium isotope, which is extremely scarce on Earth, is relatively abundant in the lunar regolith. Helium-3, when fused with deuterium, offers advantages such as cleanliness, high efficiency, and safety, earning it the reputation as the "star of hope" for future energy. If humanity overcomes the technical challenges to achieve controlled nuclear fusion for power generation, it could completely reshape Earth's energy landscape. In the future, the Moon’s strategic geographical position and its critical resources will facilitate human advancements in space technology. The Moon may well become an inexhaustible driving force for technological progress, industrial upgrades, and economic development across nations.

(2) The Moon is a crucial strategic high ground.

In the current geopolitical and space exploration landscape, the Moon undoubtedly stands as a crucial strategic high ground. Everett Dolman, an American astropolitical theorist, once posited: "Whoever controls low-Earth orbit controls near-Earth space; whoever controls near-Earth space dominates Terra (Earth); and whoever dominates Terra determines the destiny of humankind." From a military strategic perspective, the Moon's unique spatial position makes it an ideal observation post. With its vast, unobstructed view, it enables comprehensive monitoring of various military activities on Earth's surface and in near-Earth orbit. From the standpoint of space exploration strategy, the Moon serves as a critical stepping stone and transit point for humanity's journey into deeper space. Establishing a lunar base would significantly reduce the difficulty and risks of deep-space missions. Whether exploring planets within the solar system or pursuing more distant Kuiper Belt objects, a lunar base could function as an ideal launch site and supply station, greatly extending the reach of human space exploration and aiding in the gradual unveiling of the universe's deepest mysteries.

(3) Geopolitical competition extends to the Earth-Moon space.

In the current era of deepening globalization and rapid technological advancement, the dynamics of geopolitics are no longer confined to the terrestrial domains of land, sea, and air on Earth's surface. Instead, they are inevitably extending into the more vast and enigmatic realm of cislunar space. The Moon and the regions between Earth and the Moon have become a new arena for geopolitical competition. Leading space powers, with the United States at the forefront, leveraging their long-accumulated technological prowess, substantial financial investments, and extensive international alliance systems in the aerospace sector, have taken the initiative to establish a presence in cislunar space. Through spearheading a series of space programs and international cooperation agreements, they aim to secure a dominant position in the exploration and development of cislunar space. This would grant them absolute authority in future resource allocation, strategic planning, and rule-making for cislunar activities. The increasing number of signatories to the *Agreement* exemplifies the expansion of U.S. hegemony in cislunar space.

2. The Strengthening Effect of New Members on the U.S.-Led Lunar Space Hegemony

As a global technological powerhouse, the United States' space policies undoubtedly have profound implications for the global space landscape. Serving as the overarching framework for U.S. development of the Moon and new frontiers in space, the increasing number of signatories to the Agreement has further complicated the dynamics in the cislunar space. This indicates that the U.S. is actively seeking dominance in this region, marking a substantive phase in its pursuit of hegemony over cislunar space.

(1) Accelerating the "Privatization" of U.S.-Allied Space Resources

The provisions in the *Agreement* feature "strategic ambiguity," with their vagueness leaving ample room for interpretation regarding the specific content of the ten principles. Bilateral agreements between nations may employ concrete concepts such as "safety zones" and "commercial utilization" to circumvent the restrictions of the *Outer Space Treaty* through distortion and indirect means, thereby achieving the "privatization" of space resources and asserting "sovereignty" over celestial bodies like the Moon. The United States plans to establish "safety zones" around future lunar bases to prevent interference or sabotage by "competing nations." This reveals that the U.S. and its allies aim to carve out spheres of influence on the Moon through the *Agreement*, determining ownership of lunar mineral resources to facilitate their division.

Cultivate allies to further contain the space power of China and Russia.

The Agreement is part of the U.S. plan to abandon signing United Nations treaties in favor of reaching accords with "like-minded nations." Currently, the vast majority of signatories to the Agreement are U.S. allies. The U.S. uses space technology as both a diplomatic tool and a means to advance its national interests, consolidating its leadership and even controlling these allies by providing or withholding space technology. The U.S.-led space "alliance," an extension of its global ally system from Earth to the new frontier of space, serves to hinder the development of space competitors like China and Russia and ensure American dominance in space. Finland, as the latest signatory, brings new momentum to U.S. hegemony in cislunar space. Finland's primary motivation for joining lies in its expectation to share in the space exploration achievements of the U.S. and other member states, securing a share of lunar resource development and reaping economic benefits. At the same time, by collaborating with the U.S., Finland aims to elevate its standing on the international stage in both technology and politics.

(3) The export of core American values has been further strengthened.

The United States has consistently centered its foreign policy around values-driven principles, which is equally reflected in its space policies and strategic ambitions. While currently cooperating with other nations, it positions itself as the "natural leader" on the global stage. The *Accords* serve as yet another vivid manifestation of America's "values-first" approach. Through the *Accords*, it rallies allies to join the Artemis Program, aiming to create an American-style "friendly, free, and democratic" human space frontier, establish international benchmarks for space exploration access, and bolster its unilateral claim to represent "the future of humanity's extraterrestrial exploration." The U.S. enthusiasm for promoting the *Accords* stems primarily from its pursuit of strategic objectives rather than a genuine respect for international cooperation.

3. The intensification of U.S.-allied dominance in the Earth-Moon space exacerbates the impact on the global aerospace landscape.

(1) The fragmentation of the international cooperation system

Originally, the global aerospace sector had a relatively unified system of cooperation and exchange under the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations, where countries engaged in aerospace project collaborations on an equal and mutually beneficial basis, jointly promoting human exploration of the universe. However, the emergence of the "Agreement" and the intensification of the U.S.-allied hegemony in lunar space are gradually fracturing this cooperative system. An increasing number of countries are being drawn into the Agreement framework dominated by the U.S. and its allies, forming a relatively closed circle of cooperation, while those countries that have not joined the Agreement face the risk of marginalization. This undermines the overall coordination of international aerospace cooperation, with aerospace cooperation projects between different countries and regions encountering more political, diplomatic, and technical obstacles, thereby weakening the collective force of global aerospace collaboration.

(2) Technological Blockades and Innovation Obstruction

The hegemonic actions of the U.S.-led alliance have established formidable technological barriers. Leveraging their long-accumulated technological advantages in the aerospace sector and the exclusivity of cooperation under the framework of the Agreement, the U.S.-led alliance has created a technological blockade against non-member countries. In key aerospace technologies such as heavy-lift rocket technology, deep-space exploration communication technology, and lunar base construction technology, the alliance attempts to hinder the innovation and development of aerospace technologies in other countries by restricting technological exchanges, limiting access to cooperative projects, and controlling the export of high-end aerospace components and equipment. This has made it extremely difficult for emerging aerospace nations to catch up with the technological level of the U.S.-led alliance, severely threatening the balanced development of global aerospace technology.

(3) Triggering a new round of international space arms race

The Agreement is part of the U.S. plan to abandon signing United Nations treaties in favor of reaching accords with "like-minded countries," at a time when its space superiority plays a significant role in foreign policy. The expanding list of signatories to the Agreement may provoke insecurity in other nations, potentially triggering an arms race in the space domain. To safeguard its traditional status and strategic interests in the aerospace field, Russia has accelerated the development of its new-generation space weapon systems, including missiles with anti-satellite capabilities and multifunctional spacecraft capable of performing various tasks in deep space. At the same time, it has intensified its lunar exploration program, striving to remain competitive in the race for lunar resource exploitation and strategic positioning.

IV. Strategic Considerations for Countering U.S.-Allied Dominance in Cislunar Space

(1) Strengthen the capacity for independent innovation and reduce reliance on external technologies

Increase investment in fundamental aerospace research, key technology development, and talent cultivation. Break through the blockade and restrictions imposed by the U.S. and its allies on aerospace technology through independent innovation, and enhance our core competitiveness in lunar and Earth-Moon space exploration activities. Strengthen research and development efforts in key areas such as new rocket engine technology, deep-space communication technology, and life support systems for manned spaceflight, to avoid the "joke" of American astronauts being unable to return. Achieve independent control of key technologies and secure a more stable position in the global aerospace landscape.

(2) Actively respond to the expansion of U.S.-allied forces in the lunar domain and strengthen international cooperation

The continued expansion of U.S.-allied forces in the cislunar space poses a challenge to the fairness and equity of the global space order, necessitating proactive responses from our country. Among the various countermeasures, strengthening international cooperation is a particularly crucial aspect. On one hand, we should focus on deepening collaboration with major spacefaring nations. Russia, as a traditional powerhouse in the space sector, possesses profound technological expertise in areas such as rocket engine technology and deep space exploration. The European Space Agency has achieved remarkable results in satellite communications and space science research. Leveraging our own strengths in manned spaceflight and space infrastructure development, China can jointly undertake deep space exploration missions with Russia, pooling resources and complementing technologies to tackle complex aerospace challenges together. Similarly, cooperation with the European Space Agency in satellite-related fields...