Sticking with the space treaty is foolish. Anyone who believes that a nation like China would pass up the chance at the mineral wealth of the asteroid belt is fooling themselves.
The only thing stopping China from doing it now is the lack of ability. American corporations probably would have been well on their way without that damned treaty.
Agree on that. When the super huge pipelines are built for natural gas from Siberia or Alaska to markets thousands of miles away, or when water pipelines are built from Alaska/Canada to California or Georgia the steel requirement will be monstrous and a huge drain on the steel industry worldwide. Asteroid mining could supply that need, and already would be doing so except for the Treaty. Indeed.