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Report: China Believes Space War Is Inevitable, Sets Goal Of Space Supremacy

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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The Chinese military believes war in space is inevitable, so China is developing a space program advanced enough to disrupt U.S. military communications. That, according to a new report prepared by the U.S.-China Economic and Secretary Review Commission for Congress.

The report, compiled by the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC), was released by the commission on Monday and reveals that China is interested in attaining space supremacy, adding that Chinese military leaders think that control of space determines control of Earth.

Last week, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper informed the Senate Armed Services Committee that, “Chinese and Russian military leaders understand the unique information advantages afforded by space systems and services and are developing capabilities to deny access in a conflict. Chinese military writing highlights the need to interfere with, damage and destroy reconnaissance, navigation and communication satellites.”

Based on considerable research, IGCC believes that “China’s improving space capabilities have negative-sum consequences for U.S. military security.”

Although China has long been behind in the game to develop space capabilities, IGCC argues that the country has made stunning progress and is actively trying to shroud its movements and motives in secrecy, misleading outside observers on anti-satellite weapons’ testing.

“China is probably truthful when it says that it is not in a space race, [but] such statements mask the true intent of its space program: to become militarily, diplomatically, commercially, and economically as competitive as the United States is in space,” the report notes.

U.S. defense officials remain wary of Chinese military developments, often citing them as justification for why sequestration should be set aside when looking at the 2016 defense budget. Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work has also warned that sequestration may result in China and Russia taking the lead on military technology. (RELATED: If Sequestration Hits, Russia And China May Beat Our Military Technology, Top Pentagon Official Says)

Additionally, the Chinese Navy now possesses more diesel and nuclear-powered submarines than the U.S. Navy. And although Navy Secretary Ray Mabus insisted that U.S. submarines are of higher quality, he also argued that, “Quantity has a quality all its own. That means we must have a properly sized and balanced fleet.” (RELATED: China Now Has More Submarines Than The US Navy)

As a result, on Friday, Rep. Michael Turner of Ohio led a group of 70 Republicans in petitioning for a budget of at least $561 billion dollars.

“Since the onset of sequestration, we have held countless hearings, heard testimony from military leadership, and seen firsthand the challenges these complex threats pose to our primary mission of keeping our nation and citizens safe,” the legislators argued, according to The Hill. “It is clear that further reductions to national defense accounts are unacceptable and place too great a burden on our warfighters.”

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Jonah Bennett