China's space know-how said threat to U.S., Taiwan

By Jim WolfPosted 2012/04/27 at 10:58 am EDT

WASHINGTON, Apr. 27, 2012 (Reuters) — China's growing capabilities in space could undercut any U.S. military response if Beijing resorted to force to bring self-ruled Taiwan into its fold, a study released Friday by a congressionally mandated U.S. commission said.

China's military is rapidly boosting its space programs to advance Communist Party interests "and defend against perceived challenges to sovereignty and territorial integrity," said the 84-page report by the Project 2049 Institute, a research group on Asia-Pacific security issues.

China has claimed Taiwan as its own since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 and has vowed to bring the island under mainland rule, by force if necessary.

Washington, under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, considers any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by "other than peaceful means ... a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States."

The study said China's growing push in military space programs "may complicate U.S. freedom of action in the Asia-Pacific region" for instance, because Beijing can use its satellites to track U.S. aircraft carriers and target them with anti-ship ballistic missiles.

The report was prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a 12-member bipartisan group set up in 2000 to report to U.S. lawmakers on security implications of U.S.-China trade.

Read more at:

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/bre83q0ud-international-us-usa-space-china/

Well, we knew it was coming ... now it is here. What will be the balance of world power in ten years?

In all honesty, I think every country uses their space program for military purposes.

I was thinking the same thing when I read the title

Honestly if a country doesn't use it that way at least partially then they are hopelessly stupid.

I know for a fact we do. Look at project Aurora or the X-37B.

Actually, the Europeans ... not so much. The really big difference is the methodical focus.

China is not stupid. They watched the US march through Saddam's army of Soviet T-72 tanks, anti aircraft missiles, and other gear like toys. Some of China's first space tech appeared to be anti-satellite. Their next focus was rocket and heavy-lift. Now we are seeing all the pieces come together with the capability to take out US satellites and gun down US aircraft carriers putting an end to the US's ability to us use gunboat diplomacy in the Pacific.

China's power goes up. US influence goes down. There was another news report of China demanding that the US and Russia "drastically" reduce their nuclear arms.