Washington [US], April 19 (ANI): United States suspects that China may have a plan-in-waiting to use space technology to block American radars and jam sophisticated weapons systems if the need arises, according to recent reports. Recently, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the US, has submitted an 80-page report for consideration by the Biden administration and action.

The report which is cited by The Singapore Post said that it gives credence to what was suspected by the international community till now that China has reached a stage of self-reliance in space technology and acquired capabilities to “prevail in a major conflict with the United States and is aggressively launching, acquiring, and obtaining through espionage the counter-space capabilities necessary to do so.” “As China’s and Russia’s space and counter space capabilities increase, both nations are integrating space scenarios into their military exercises,” the report said, according to The Singapore Post.

However, the DIA focuses more on the activities of China which if finds are “most worrisome to the United States, not only because of the country’s rapid growth in space–doubling the number of ISR satellites it has in space to 250 since 2018–but also its rapid acquisition and pursuit of counter-space capabilities”. “The PLA probably sees counterspace operations as a means to deter and counter a U.S. intervention during a regional military conflict,” the DIA wrote in the report.

Quoting an article by DefenseOne, the military analysis website, th DIA said: “China has claimed that ‘destroying or capturing satellites and other sensors’ would make it difficult for the US and allied militaries to use precision-guided weapons.”

The DIA also found that China “probably is developing jammers dedicated to targeting SAR, including aboard military reconnaissance platforms,” referring to the advanced synthetic aperture radar systems that allow clear imagery even at night or during bad weather, DefenseOne said.

Those jammers “would be key to preventing the US and US-affiliated commercial satellite firms from maintaining a clear picture over Taiwan, as they have in Ukraine”.
Notably, the China National Space Administration is China’s equivalent to NASA. It is supervised by the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which handles defense-related science and technology, including China’s state-owned defense conglomerates.

The infrastructure of the country’s space program is similarly militarised. The PLA runs under its command the launch sites, control centers, and even satellites. Most of the personnel, including the astronauts, working in the space program are military personnel, as per The Singapore Post.

The DIA report, analyses of DefenseOne, and western military experts, all say in one voice while there could be a tremendous potential of a Chinese and the Americans working together on space programs, China faces a trust deficit. (ANI)

China wary of US officials’ high-level visit to Solomon Islands

Beijing [China], April 20 (ANI): As high-level US officials begin their visit to the Solomon Islands, Chinese media said this visit to the South Pacific archipelago is an attempt to nullify the already signed security pact. China and Solomon Islands on Tuesday signed a framework agreement on security cooperation that neighbours of the South Pacific archipelago fear could open the door to a Chinese naval base in the country.

“After Australia failed to sway the Solomon Islands to thwart the security agreement with China, senior US officials plan to travel to the country this week in an attempt to nullify the already signed security pact, which will be a rare high-level visit with pressure by the superpower,” the Chinese state media outlet Global Times said in a report.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced the security agreement, saying the deal would involve China cooperating with Honiara on maintaining social order, protecting people’s safety, aid, combating natural disasters and helping safeguard national security, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Speaking at a press briefing, Wenbin defended the signing of security cooperation with the Solomon Islands, saying the agreement “does not target any third party.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the two countries had formally signed a framework pact on security cooperation. The cooperation represents normal exchanges between two sovereign and independent states, and constitutes an important part of their comprehensive cooperation, he said.

Officials from the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand on Tuesday expressed concerns about a proposed security framework between the Solomon Islands and China and its “serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

This statement was issued after the high-level US officials convened a meeting in Honolulu with senior officials from Australia, Japan, and New Zealand on developments in the Pacific Islands on April 18. “We will do this in ever-closer partnership with Pacific Island nations, including through a united Pacific Islands Forum; and together with like-minded countries, within and beyond the region, including in Europe,” the White House statement read.

“Officials from the four countries represented also shared concerns about a proposed security framework between the Solomon Islands and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” it added.

The meeting was part of regular and extensive US consultations with allies and partners on the Indo-Pacific and is part of the announced senior administration travel this week to Hawaii, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. (ANI)