China exercises look like operations, says the USSSF leader

Aurora, Colo.-The head of the Space Forces Indo-Pacific warned that China's growing military exercises, which are supported by increased use of space, blur the border between exercises and a possible invasion in Taiwan.

“In the increasing complexity, it is clear with which the PLA exercises are carried out in a way that it will be very difficult and very difficult to see an exercise from an invasion, and this is clearly through design,” Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir, commander of the Indo-Pacific space forces, said reporters on the AFA Warfare Symposium. “We have started to look into some of them integrated, not so early, but in recent times.”

In particular, Mastalir Beijings emphasized growing counter-space capacities, in particular its anti-satellite weapons (Asat), which can target satellites in low earth and geosynchronous orbits. China's advance of developing Asat technologies – exciting kinetic and non -kinetic methods, from rockets to electronic misery to robotic arms that are supposed to interfere with satellites – was an important concern for the Space Force executives.

Over the years, China has tested various Asat weapons, including its first destructive test in 2007, a start in GEO in 2013 and a broken orbital bombing system with a hyperchic sliding vehicle in 2021. Former MP Jim Cooper described the efforts as “perfection of Kill -Shots”. The 2007 test, which was criticized in 2007 as a ruthless, left rubble in Leo and tightens the risk of all space operations. General -B. -The boss of space operations, General B. Chance Saltzman, has often pointed out this test as a turning point in the history of military space operations.

Mastalir warned that China has recently synchronized the attitude of such weapons with its military exercises.

“For example, if you think about the counter weapons, the China builds, including direct Ascent ascats … they go out and become at the same time when the exercise unfolds in the East China Sea,” said Mastalir. “We are starting to see more and more evidence – as they build the complexity, bring more of these forces.”

Military leaders have triggered alarms against China in recent years. As early as 2025, Beijing sent several spy balloons and naval warning for “Combat Readiness Patrols” around the island. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has also reported numerous incidents by Chinese military aircraft, which circles the island. Navy ADM. Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific command, described these recent actions “rehearsals for the forced association of Taiwan with the mainland” and emphasized that the activities of the liberation army of the liberation army are “no exercises”.

These multi-domestic exercises have strengthened because China has anchored to integrate spatial skills into its military strategy. A decade ago, the Chinese only had about two dozen satellites. Now they operate more than 1,000 – most of Mastalir are “specially developed for the persecution of the US forces”.

“(China) has built a room architecture that is specially available for the US chain of the second island,” said Mastalir. The aim, he noted, aimed to limit the United States and allies' ability to intervene in important regional conflicts, especially in the South Chinese Sea and in countries such as Taiwan and the Philippines.

China also urges to compete with Starlink on the satellite internet market, with the plan to build up a “mega constellation” of more than 600 satellites by 2025 and finally reach a total of 14,000 satellites. Mastalir warned that the next phase of Beijing's space ambitions will go beyond the communication satellites towards remote sensing.

“It is not surprising that China will also build this type of mega constellations – you have seen first -hand how effective it is to maintain communication in controversial areas,” said Mastalir. “I expect not only communication constellations, as we continue to see, but also the spread of remote sensing functions.”