- Representatives from one of the world’s biggest space programmes fail to attend the International Astronautical Conference in US capital
- Beijing accuses America of disrupting normal exchanges and collaboration between countries by denying or delaying visas
Beijing said on Wednesday that Chinese space officials and experts were unable to attend a major international space conference in the US this week and blamed Washington for "weaponising" its visa system.
Hua Chunying, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, told a daily news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that the Chinese delegation was absent from the International Astronautical Congress in Washington because the US authorities had failed to grant visas in time.
The absence of representatives from one of the world's biggest space programme had raised eyebrows among some delegates, and Hua said the failure to approve visas in time for the event was the "tip of the iceberg".
She went on to accuse the US of using its immigration system to disrupt normal global communications and collaboration.
According to Hua, China submitted the names of its delegation to the US in July and a group from the China National Space Administration had visited the US embassy for visa interviews more than a week before the conference.
"But the head of the delegation had not received a US visa even after the conference started," said Hua, adding that several other senior Chinese delegates had also failed to receive visas.
"And as a result, the Chinese delegation was unable to attend the opening ceremony, plenary discussions and take part in other important events."
There was no indication whether delegates representing China's space programme or official bodies would be able or willing to attend later events at the conference, which closes on Friday.
However, a small number of representatives from private Chinese firms were able to attend.
This year's event in Washington is the 70th International Astronautical Congress, and brings together scientists from around the world to discuss their work.
China has become an increasingly active player at the event in recent years as its space programme becomes grows in scale and ambition and it hosted the event in 2013.
Opening the conference on Monday, US Vice-President Mike Pence told delegates that it would offer a chance to push forward collaboration between the US and "freedom-loving nations".
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But Hua said the "political overtones" of Pence's comments had "caused resentment" among some delegates who "thought his remarks at odds with the IAC's mission of global collaboration".
The comments come against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the two countries, including increased scrutiny of Chinese students and academics, which in turn has prompted accusations they are being unfairly singled out.
Hua told the press conference: "The US has tightened visa controls on Chinese; denying visas, delaying the processing of visa applications, revoking long-term visas and harassing Chinese scholars, students, entrepreneurs and scientists; disrupting normal China-US people exchanges and hurting personal safety and legitimate rights.
"The US is weaponising the visa issue, repeatedly disregarding its international responsibilities and obstructing normal international exchanges and collaboration."
China's official news agency Xinhua reported that Bi Tingting, a sales manager from telescope maker QHYCCD, had said that all the technicians from the start-up had failed to obtain visas to attend the conference.
Just one sales manager was able to attend on behalf of the company " one of the few Chinese firms that was able to take part in the event at all.
According to Xinhua, another Chinese firm Spacety was also unable to obtain visas for any of its staff.
Questions were raised about the absence of Chinese representatives at the conference after Wu Yanhua, deputy head of China's space agency who was originally scheduled to speak at the event, failed to show up.
The most popular crowdsourced question at a plenary session on Monday noted that an important space agency was missing from the panel, and added: "Where is China?".
The question was followed by another that asked: "If international collaboration is dependent on being 'freedom-loving', then who should decide on what level of 'freedom-loving' is sufficient?"
China insists that the development of it space programme is purely for peaceful purposes, but the US Defence Department has accused it of using it strengthen its military capabilities.
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