The Chinese space infrastructure in South America worries the Center for Strategic and International Studies of the United States. Although it is civilian, it can also be used to support military ships.
Chinese space infrastructure in South America
The US Center for Strategic and International Studies has published a report on Chinese space objects located in South American countries. It is used by the Celestial Empire to communicate with its satellites in orbit.
Thus, China is trying to become a serious player in the market of satellite services for middle-income countries. But, despite the civilian purpose of this network, the United States fears that Beijing may use it for espionage, monitoring and possibly even hitting ships of the United States and other countries.
Experts are particularly concerned about the lack of transparency of agreements between China and countries that provide their territory for the placement of space communications facilities. This applies to Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil and the Swedish Space Corporation in Chile. The existence of this network is confirmed by satellite images.
Chinese Space Network Abroad
Due to the sphericity of the Earth, any truly space-faring country needs a terrestrial network of space communication stations beyond its borders. It seems that in the foreseeable future, this industry will become a new arena for confrontation between the United States and China.
With Chinese space objects in other countries, everything is very difficult. Some of them are part of the Chinese Deep Space Communications System. It is through them that the control of the Changye-5 and Tianwen-1 devices is provided. And even the United States cannot declare scientific facilities military.
The Chinese space infrastructure is located not only in South America. It is known at least about the relay center in Namibia. But mostly the Celestial Empire still relies on its fleet of deep space communications spacecraft. The “Yuanwang” ships are operated by China’s General Satellite Launch and Surveillance Directorate.
Influence of the Chinese military on space
Space organizations of the Celestial Empire are very numerous, but in all of them, according to the United States, there are representatives of the People’s Liberation Army of China. They strive to control everything through so-called small management groups.
Precisely because peaceful Chinese ships are undesirable in many countries of the world. Recently, India staged a loud scandal due to the fact that one of the “Yuanwang” tried to enter the port in Sri Lanka. But agreements on the placement of antennas in third countries can save China from this problem.
It is known that the agreement with Argentina provides for the transfer of the territory for 50 years, and the country will not interfere in any way with what China is doing there. Therefore, there are not so many ways left in the United States to influence the situation and protect their satellites from surveillance.
According to spacenews.com
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