China's Military Space Strategy

{
  "authors": [
    "Ashley J. Tellis"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "East Asia",
    "China",
    "Taiwan"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Security",
    "Military",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

China's Military Space Strategy

China's recent antisatellite test was not a protest against U.S. space policy, but rather, was part of a loftier strategy to combat U.S. military superiority and one that China will not trade away in any arms-control regime.

By Ashley J. Tellis

Published on Sep 3, 2007

Source: Survival

An article by Ashley Tellis in the September 2007 issue of Survival challenges the conventional wisdom that China's antisatellite test (ASAT) was a protest against U.S. space policy, arguing instead that it was part of a loftier strategy to combat U.S. military superiority and one that China will not trade away in any arms-control regime.

Far from a response to assertive U.S. space policies, Tellis contends in "China's Military Space Strategy" that the ASAT test was part of a more ambitious goal--namely, defeating superior U.S. conventional forces, both in a potential war over Taiwan, as well as other long-term, geopolitical scenarios. The author states that Chinese analyses of U.S. military operations since Desert Storm concluded that U.S. military might depends inordinately on space-based systems for its operational effectiveness and hence must be targeted if China is to be able to stand up to the enormity of U.S. conventional military power.

In February 2008, Survival invited a group of scholars to respond to Tellis' article. See "China's Military Space Strategy: An Exchange" in the right sidebar for more.

Security Military Foreign Policy North America United States East Asia China Taiwan

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Has Trump the Destroyer Eclipsed Putin the Destroyer?
Unexpectedly, Trump’s America appears to have replaced Putin’s Russia’s as the world’s biggest disruptor.
Alexander Baunov
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Baku Proceeds With Caution as Ethnic Azeris Join Protests in Neighboring Iran
Baku may allow radical nationalists to publicly discuss “reunification” with Azeri Iranians, but the president and key officials prefer not to comment publicly on the protests in Iran.
Bashir Kitachaev
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Russia’s Latest Weapons Have Left Strategic Stability on the Brink of Collapse
The Kremlin will only be prepared to negotiate strategic arms limitations if it is confident it can secure significant concessions from the United States. Otherwise, meaningful dialogue is unlikely, and the international system of strategic stability will continue to teeter on the brink of total collapse.
Maxim Starchak
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Russia’s Cyberfraud Epidemic Is Now a Political Issue
For years, the Russian government has promoted “sovereign” digital services as an alternative to Western ones and introduced more and more online restrictions “for security purposes.” In practice, these homegrown solutions leave people vulnerable to data leaks and fraud.
Maria Kolomychenko
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Venezuela Is No Oil Eldorado, Despite U.S. and Russian Claims
Geological complexity and years of mismanagement mean the Venezuelan oil industry is not the big prize officials in Moscow and Washington appear to believe.
Sergey Vakulenko

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Has Trump the Destroyer Eclipsed Putin the Destroyer?

Unexpectedly, Trump’s America appears to have replaced Putin’s Russia’s as the world’s biggest disruptor.

Alexander Baunov

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Baku Proceeds With Caution as Ethnic Azeris Join Protests in Neighboring Iran

Baku may allow radical nationalists to publicly discuss “reunification” with Azeri Iranians, but the president and key officials prefer not to comment publicly on the protests in Iran.

Bashir Kitachaev

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Russia’s Latest Weapons Have Left Strategic Stability on the Brink of Collapse

The Kremlin will only be prepared to negotiate strategic arms limitations if it is confident it can secure significant concessions from the United States. Otherwise, meaningful dialogue is unlikely, and the international system of strategic stability will continue to teeter on the brink of total collapse.

Maxim Starchak

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Russia’s Cyberfraud Epidemic Is Now a Political Issue

For years, the Russian government has promoted “sovereign” digital services as an alternative to Western ones and introduced more and more online restrictions “for security purposes.” In practice, these homegrown solutions leave people vulnerable to data leaks and fraud.

Maria Kolomychenko

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Venezuela Is No Oil Eldorado, Despite U.S. and Russian Claims

Geological complexity and years of mismanagement mean the Venezuelan oil industry is not the big prize officials in Moscow and Washington appear to believe.

Sergey Vakulenko