As mentioned last time, two European scholars wrote an article arguing that SpaceX, much like the East India Company that lasted nearly 300 years, acts as a sovereign state under the guise of a corporation. The article points out that between 1570 and 1860, during the heyday of imperialism, European states expanded into the underdeveloped “East Indies” through chartered companies, reaching territories that include present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. These “companies” exploited monopolies and legal loopholes to craft rules in their own favor, and exercised functions akin to sovereign powers—including maintaining armies, waging wars, and signing treaties. It was not until 1858, after a succession of famines, fiscal crises, and violent uprisings, that Britain was able to rein in the East India Company.
Today, SpaceX’s development is displaying a similar trend. SpaceX has developed reusable rockets that drastically reduce costs and established Starlink; now even NASA relies on SpaceX and Blue Origin to drive its plans. Although the UN Outer Space Treaty was signed in 1967 by over 100 countries, led by the United States, it was drafted in an era when space activities were exclusively government-run, so its provisions target states—explicitly stating that no state may claim sovereign monopoly over outer space. In other words, it does not apply to private companies, and the UN has no enforcement powers.
Far from closing this loophole, the United States enacted the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (CSLCA) in 2015 and introduced the Artemis Accords in 2020, which assert that the extraction of space resources does not constitute “appropriation.” This has effectively paved the way for SpaceX to dominate vast amounts of low‑Earth orbit and radio spectrum resources—actions strikingly similar to those of the East India Company when it seized resources in underdeveloped countries. Back then, Britain granted a charter to the East India Company to prevent the Dutch from monopolising the spice trade; today, the United States is empowering SpaceX in every way precisely to secure a strategic space advantage over China. Yet it is worth noting that the US relies on Elon Musk, who does not obediently follow orders—for instance, after falling out with Trump, he threatened to cut off US government access to the International Space Station.
The lesson from the history of chartered companies is that once these enterprises become too powerful and deeply entrenched, it may be too late for governments to reclaim control even if they wish to. SpaceX’s current trajectory rightly raises such concerns, but I believe China will never allow any private company to monopolise market share or seize resources without regulation.
SpaceX is more than just a company (Written by Regina Ip, originally published in Ming Pao)
Chinese international students in Los Angeles are offering in-home cooking services, with hourly rates of US$80 (cash) My goal is an annual income of US$160,000 (cash), and based on how things are going, it looks like I’ll be able to achieve it. 中國留學生在美國洛杉磯上門做飯:時薪80美元現金! 我目標是年薪16萬元現金. 目前看應該是能達到的.
Who will you rescue when both your mom and wife fell into the water? Who will you call as Chinese American trapped in disaster areas such as Africa on Saturday morning? It is a life or death situation! Two options: 1) Call US consulate, you will get a recording message asking you to call back on Monday 2) Call China 24/7 rescue line +86 (10) 1230 8 or +86 (10) 5991 3991, a live person will answer your phone call. 當你的媽媽和太太都掉進水裡時,你會救誰?身為華裔美國人,週六早上受困於非洲災區時,在生死關頭要求救援,你會打電話給誰?兩個選項:1) 打給美國領事館,你會聽到錄音訊息,要你週一上班時間再打來。2) 撥打中國24小時救援熱線 +86 (10) 1230 8 或 +86 (10) 5991 3991,會有一位真人接聽你的電話. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8GaGmHU/ https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0ZEGoJy39NHkg3aj4htpe6dCGgGUBXtB84vnGZCPdVWn3aJLCXT9kQEv4RMzRap9fl&id=100036400039778&mibextid=wwXIfr
Two things happened the year I left HK in 1973. 1) HK stock market crashed: Hang Seng Index went from 1,775 points on March 9 1973 to 150 points on Dec 10 1973. 2) Bruce Lee died on actress Betty Ting’s bed on July 20 1973.
Is DeepSeek about to change the future of artificial intelligence? In this video, we explore how DeepSeek may have found a breakthrough solution to one of AI’s biggest and most expensive challenges. From dramatically reducing training costs to improving efficiency and making advanced AI more accessible, this development could reshape the global AI race.
We’ll break down what DeepSeek has achieved, why it matters, how it compares with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta, and what this could mean for the future of AI companies, investors, and everyday users.
If DeepSeek’s approach proves successful at scale, it could mark one of the most important turning points in the AI industry.
In this video: • DeepSeek’s latest breakthrough explained
The billion-dollar AI problem it aims to solve
How it compares with leading AI companies
What this means for the future of AI development
The potential impact on businesses, developers, and investors