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US Warns: China's 'Mind-Boggling' Space Ambitions Threaten Security
18 Nov
Summary
- China's rapid space program expansion is seen as a significant threat to US military dominance.
- A dual-use strategy allows China to integrate commercial breakthroughs directly into military applications.
- The US must boost funding and wargaming to counter China's growing capabilities in space.
A sweeping report by the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission, scheduled for release on November 18, 2025, sounds an alarm regarding China's swift ascent in space capabilities. The commission describes China's space program expansion as "mind boggling," posing a direct threat to the United States' strategic high ground, which underpins modern military power. Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman warns that China's growing arsenal of military space systems endangers U.S. reliance on satellites for essential functions.
The report emphasizes China's significant advantage derived from its "dual use" space program, where commercial, state-owned, and military entities operate cohesively. This synergy enables the rapid deployment of commercial innovations for military purposes, particularly in counterspace technologies designed to disrupt or disable satellites. The U.S. military views these as potential tools China could employ to blind adversaries at the outset of a crisis, highlighting a critical vulnerability.
In response to this escalating challenge, the commission urges Congress to act swiftly. Recommendations include increasing Space Force funding to achieve space control and superiority, expanding military wargaming simulations of Chinese threats, and enhancing operator training in space warfare tactics. The report asserts that falling behind in space would inevitably weaken U.S. national security, diminish global influence, and impact American commercial strength in the burgeoning space economy.
