NEW YORK CITY, New York: In a complaint to the United Nations, China said its space station has twice been forced to take evasive action to avoid colliding with small satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

In a note filed with the UN’s space agency, China said that during incidents in July and October, SpaceX satellites travelled perilously close to the China Space Station, potentially risking the “life or health of astronauts.”

The small satellites involved in the alleged incidents were among nearly 2,000 launched by SpaceX’s Starlink Internet Services division.

The South China Morning Post reported that the UN was asked by China to remind nations that signed the Outer Space Treaty, which includes the U.S., of their “international responsibility for national activities in outer space, whether such activities are carried out by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities.”

Chinese state media reported that SpaceX could be attempting to “test China’s sensibility in space.”

Tesla, another Musk-owned company, also faced scrutiny in China in April after a customer complained about the safety of Tesla’s electric cars, which was shared widely on social media.

Tesla later apologized.

Musk has lauded China, despite tensions with the U.S., as Tesla has aimed to gain a presence in the Chinese auto market in recent years.

Earlier, however, Musk was more blunt about China’s threat to his ambitions in space.

Speaking about a hypothetical situation in which SpaceX’s Starlink satellites might beam uncensored internet into China, Musk said the Chinese government could shoot his satellites down.

“If they get upset with us, they can blow our satellites up, which would not be good. China can do that. So probably we should not broadcast there,” Musk said.