From Carnegie Endowment for International Peace website:
Summary: Although it is often argued that China’s recent antisatellite weapon test was a protest against U.S. space policies, Beijing’s counterspace programs are actually part of a considered strategy designed to counter the overall military capability of the United States.
In preparing to cope with America’s overwhelming conventional might, China has taken aim at its Achilles heel: its space-based capabilities and their related ground installations.Thus, China will continue to invest in space-denial technology rather than be a party to any space-control agreement that eliminates its best chance of asymmetrically defeating U.S. military power. With its dominance of space now at risk, the United States must run and win this offense/defense space race if it is to uphold its security obligations and deter increased Chinese counterspace efforts. [Full Text]
Ashley J. Tellis is Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
