The National Strategy of Civil and Military Integration and Its Impact on China’s Space Sector
- Paper number
IAC-20,E7,5,11,x57191
- Author
Prof. Xiaodan Wu, China, China Central University of Finance and Economics
- Year
2020
- Abstract
The inherent dual-use nature of space technology and activities warrants the necessity of civil and military integration. China is no stranger to the concept of military industry being an indispensable part of the overall national economy. The guiding principle of integrating military issues with civilian purposes and combining military efforts with civilian support can be traced back to the 1950s. A sweeping reform in the 1990s commercialized several defense industry sectors to different extents including the space sector, which led to the establishment of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC). There have been reformative efforts to integrate the defense and commercial industrial bases more tightly since the 2000s, for the PLA to have greater access to civilian scientific and technological advances and for the civilian economy to incorporate dual-use technology initially developed for military purposes. Civil-military integration was uplifted as the national-level strategy and a specialized central commission was established in 2017. Space sector was prioritized in this integration strategy and the role of space law has been emphasized. This might be a milestone for the reconstructing China’s space activities. It could reduce the military participation and forge a more close and smooth cooperative relations between the civil and military; effectively implement the recent welcome policy signals to unconventional space actors; push space legislation cross the finish line of its marathon; streamline the space bureaucracy consisted of confusing lines of authority; improve the current governance structure and transparency and unlock China’s potential in expanding international cooperation.- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)