China is suspected of developing ground-based laser weapons and electronic pulse weapons that could blind or destroy satellites. A weapon does not need to destroy a satellite to render it useless, just damage the susceptible optical sensors. The closer Sino-Russian relationship also is contributing to China's advancement, as Russia turns the former Soviet Union's tremendous Cold War research and development budgets and technological advancements into economic gains.

It is also accepted that China possesses laser dazzlers capable of de-grading or defeating the ability of adversary satellites to gather intelligence. The Sing Tao Daily reported in January 2001 that China had ground tested a potentially very potent satellite weapon called a "parasite satellite." This micro-satellite could attach itself to a targeted satellite with the intent of jamming or destroying it under command. These types of systems tend to confirm US intelligence suspicions that space will be a new theater of warfare.

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Thompson, David J. China in Space: Civillian and Military Developments. Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Air University, August 2001. [ 4 quotes ] [ page 12 ]