At the same time, however, some influential thinkers in China have
argued that the revolution in military affairs requires China to now
consider its options in space. Some maintain that space warfare with a
superpower should be a Chinese concern, and that China needs anti-ASAT
technology, smaller satellites to reduce vulnerability and first
strike capabilities in space.

According to the Pentagon, China already has jamming technology and
may be developing ASAT capabilities, including a ground-based
high-energy laser and other lasers to blind optical satellites.
However, as indicated, much of China's interest in space seems to stem
directly from concerns about American military activities in space.
According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, China's worries
about protecting its space-based assets are due to concern about
American development of missile defences and future American global dominance as a result of American space power.

Indeed, at the 7 February 2002 meeting of the CD, Hu specifically
mentioned American actions as a key reason that negotiations on the
weaponization of space should commence quickly. 'Now that the ABM
[Anti-Ballistic Missile] Treaty has been scrapped and efforts are
being stepped up to develop missile defence and outer space weapon
systems, there is an increasing risk of outer space being weaponized',
he said.

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Hitchens, Theresa. "Monsters and Shadows: Left Unchecked, American Fears Regarding Threats to Space Assets Will Drive Weaponization." Disarmament Forum. No. 1 (2003): 15-33. [ 5 quotes ] [ page 25 ]