Some say China isn't the only one rushing to acquire military capabilities in space.
US President George W. Bush signed an order in October tacitly asserting the US right to space weapons and he has also pushed an ambitious program of space-based missile defense and the Pentagon is working on missiles, ground lasers and other technology to shoot down satellites.
China's promotion of anti-satellite weapons is underpinned by its doctrine of "asymmetric warfare" that envisions defeating the US or another powerful foe by knocking away key capabilities rather than through frontal assault.
China's space program entered a new era with its first manned space flight in 2003. A second mission in 2005 put two astronauts into orbit for a week, and a third manned launch is planned for next year. This year, China plans to launch a lunar probe that will orbit the moon.
Despite the successes, China's space program had been seen as lacking in innovation, overly cautious and, perhaps most importantly, non-threatening to Washington. That evaluation may now have to change.
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