Is Space Big Enough for a US-Sino Partnership?

Abstract

Abstract : China and the United States have a history of disagreeing in many areas. One area that may have been overlooked is the US policy regarding China and the future of US space activities. The current decline in US civil space activity, combined with the recent surge in Chinese space development, demand a response to the questions, What is the US policy on space for the short and long term? How and where does China fit in that policy? The answers to both questions lie in the same direction: the US should partner with China in future space ventures. This benefits both countries in several areas. First, it makes economic sense from the US perspective to aid our stuggling economy. It also makes sense from Chinas perspective to purchase technology rather than to reinvent the wheel. From a political perspective, it is a great opportunity to open doors and begin a dialogue between the two countries that may not start otherwise. Once this dialogue has begun, it will be much easier to expand the scope of cooperation, building on that foundation, than it would be to start from scratch. Militarily it may not be the optimum choice to cooperate with a potential adversary, but the goodwill that may be gained and the insight into Chinese space and other military operations may overcome the potential losses. The potential benefits of the three areas combined outweigh the negatives, and make partnership an attractive option worth pursuing.