Plans Chinese attention to future space warfare has also been driven by such considerations as potential conflict over Taiwan and U.S. plans to deploy missile defense. These developments have not only strained Sino-U.S. relations, but also led China to view itself as the target of U.S. defense strategies. People's Liberation Army (PLA) analysts are aware of U.S. preparations for possible future space warfare against China. A 2001 war game held by U.S. Space Command pitted U.S. forces against an opponent threatening a small neighbor (i.e., China threatening Taiwan) and focused on the use of space assets by the two main countries. The war game's significance was not lost on Chinese commentators. As the United States intensifies efforts to deploy missile defenses, China's military planners are increasingly concerned about how missile defenses might affect their ability to deter unwanted U.S. actions, especially with regards to Taiwan. Many Chinese analysts also see missile defenses as part of a U.S. effort to negate China's nuclear deterrent and ensure complete U.S. dominance in the international arena. Given that U.S. missile defense systems will rely heavily on satellite assistance, a Chinese ASAT capability could be a useful asymmetrical means of disabling U.S. satellites and thereby degrading U.S. missile defenses.

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Deters, Angela, Jing-dong Yuan et al. China's Space Capabilities and the Strategic Logic of Anti-Satellite Weapons. Monterey, CA: Center for Nonproliferation Studies, July 22, 2002. [ 5 quotes ]