CHINESE SPACE COOPERATION IN LATIN AMERICA: IMPLICATIONS FOR UNITED STATES SPACE SECURITY
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Authors
Beszeditz, David
Subjects
Latin America
China
Argentina
Brazil
Bolivia
Peru
Venezuela
space cooperation
space policy
space security
space program
Belt and Road Initiative
South America
Space Force
China
Argentina
Brazil
Bolivia
Peru
Venezuela
space cooperation
space policy
space security
space program
Belt and Road Initiative
South America
Space Force
Advisors
Moltz, James C.
Date of Issue
2021-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
This thesis aimed to analyze Sino-LAC space cooperation to answer the following questions: what are the motivations behind Sino-LAC space cooperation, and what do the parties stand to gain? How is Sino-LAC space cooperation structured, and is China promoting long-term technological dependencies? What challenges does this pose to U.S. space security, and is U.S. space policy effectively responding to regional Chinese proliferation within the space domain? Ultimately, LAC countries seek Chinese space cooperation for two primary reasons: the need to acquire Chinese-built space capabilities to benefit national socioeconomic development or for mutual technological development to achieve sovereign space autonomy. This thesis argues that in relation to the less-developed space nations, China uses space cooperation as one tool to control developing economies and as a method to exert its geopolitical influence within the western hemisphere. In relation to the major-developed space nations, China uses space cooperation to advance its space capabilities in the western hemisphere. In both cases, China mostly designs Sino-LAC space cooperation to foster long-term space engagements and potential dependencies while promoting China's international space projection goals. Furthermore, this thesis concludes that a threat to U.S. space security due to Sino-LAC space cooperation is feasible, and that U.S. space policy is not appropriately implemented to predict, detect, and deter such a concern.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.