China has military presence in space, warns Nasa chief

While informing about the threat, the Nasa chief also cautioned Washington to stay vigilant.

The chief of Nasa has flagged China's military presence in space and said Beijing was using its civilian space programmes to hide military objectives.

"China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive," Bill Nelson, Nasa administrator, told US lawmakers at Capitol Hill.

"We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space programme is a military programme. And I think, in effect, we are in a race," Nelson was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

While informing about the threat, the Nasa chief also cautioned Washington to stay vigilant.

He added that China would "come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses".

"We have not seen that demonstrated by China," added Nelson.