China asks U.S. for satellite downing data

State media blasts space weapons stance

BEIJING - China called on the U.S. to release data on the shooting down of an ailing spy satellite, while the Communist Party's newspaper blasted what it called Washington's callous attitude toward the militarization of space.

China registered its objections well before the satellite's destruction by a missile launched from a Navy cruiser on Wednesday, which likely accounted for the mild response Thursday from the Foreign Ministry.

"One cannot but worry for the future of space when a great nation with such a massive advantage in space military technology categorically refuses a measure to prevent the militarization of space," the paper said.