Comments on the EU-s Draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities

On 8 December, 2008, the Council of the European Union approved an initial draft text of the Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities. Thereupon, the European Union invited other countries, including China, to give comments on the draft Code. Through an analysis of the text of the document, the author made a proposal for Chinese government to cope with the EU-s consultation request. Taken as a whole, the document has no binding effect to China because of its voluntary nature. However, if revised appropriately, this document could be considered as a memorandum for promoting and implementing UN space treaties and resolutions which will have a due status and constraint force in international law.