China's ASAT Test and the Strategic Implications of Beijing's Military Space Policy

Abstract

Abstract China's test of an anti-satellite weapon in January 2007 was a surprise to the international community. China has recently made efforts to appear pragmatic in the international arena, which included consistent efforts to prohibit the weaponization of space. As a result of the test, Beijing has seen its international credibility slump and China may face a number of long-term challenges to its economic, political and strategic interests. The destruction of a non-functioning satellite by a Chinese missile created significant space debris that will likely plague satellites in the Earth's orbit for some time to come. This may also have a negative affect on China's ability to cooperate fully with other space-faring nations. Although Chinese diplomats have been longtime proponents of space arms control, China's military analysts have taken another approach to the issue of space weapons. These analysts have examined the effect that U.S. space assets have had on recent conflicts and have identified military space development as essential for a modern military force. China's recent test, however, has not only influenced its space rivalry with the United States, but may also be the impetus for a regional space race. If this is the case, China may have just started a space race that it has been trying to avoid and cannot afford.