China Claims Elon Musk's SpaceX Satellites Narrowly Missed Space Station, Says US Violating Outer Space Treaty

China has filed a complaint to the United Nations claiming its space station narrowly avoided being struck by SpaceX satellites.

What Happened: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday that astronauts on board the Tianhe space station had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by SpaceX satellites on July 1 and Oct. 21. China reported the incidents to the U.N.'s space agency on Dec. 3.

“The U.S., while talking about the concept of responsible outer space behavior, is in practice ignoring its obligations under the [Outer Space] treaty,” Zhao said.

Three Chinese astronauts were launched to the Tianhe space station on Oct. 16 for a six-month mission, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

U.S.-based SpaceX was founded by Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk and has launched almost 1,900 satellites to serve its Starlink broadband network, with additional deployments planned for the future. The company has so far not issued a comment in response to the Chinese claims.

Why It Matters: China is an essential market for Tesla, Giga Shanghai is the company's largest EV factory and produces more electric cars than the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California. Tesla Giga Shanghai is producing more than 650,000 units per year.

One analyst says China could represent 40% of Tesla’s deliveries next year, or be worth $400 per share in 2022. It remains unclear if the issues related to the alleged SpaceX incidents will impact China's dealings with Tesla.

Tesla stock was trading at $1,085.03 on Tuesday, down 0.81% on the day.

Related Link: Tesla China Sales Fall Sequentially For Second Month In A Row, Down 2.8%: CPCA Data