CHINA-SPACE
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The Beijing Institute of Space Science and Technology Information, affiliated to the China Academy of Space Technology, on May 23, 2015, released its evaluation that China's space capabilities are ranked the fourth in the world and that the gap between the leading powers is narrowing. It said that China is at a crucial period developing from a major power to a great power in space. The Institute rated the United States, Europe, Russia, China, Japan and India as the leading powers in space, of which it described the United States' status as the only super power in space and Europe and Russia are ranked as the next two great powers.
China, Japan and India are called major powers in space with India becoming the first Asian country to successfully send a probe to Mars in 2014, marking a breakthrough in its space capability.
China's official news agency Xinhua, on May 23, 2015, quoted the Institute's report as saying "Space has become a "high frontier" as nations jostle for political, economic, military, scientific and technological advantages. Driven by the needs of national security and economic interests, more countries are vying to flex their muscles in space".
Separately, the People's Daily on May 24, 2015, said the "US has categorized all man-made space objects larger than 10 centimeters and is moving towards categorizing all those that exceed the size of 2 centimeters, which make up 20% to 30% of all orbiters."It quoted Jiang Chunliang, a researcher with China's Academy of Military Science of the PLA, as stating that the "US is the world leader in defense support program satellites, navigation and positioning satellites and communications satellites. The emergence of potential rivals has given the US an excuse to beef up its military investment for more advanced space technology.The US's space defense program is aimed at preventing its rivals from destroying its satellites and systems, so as to carry out its military strategy, secure its leading position in the space technology and monopolize the resources in the space."
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