China’s dual-use space sector goes global
International Institute for Strategic Studies
“…access to this permanent worldwide infrastructure is not entirely sufficient. To address potential gaps in coverage, the PRC also has a fleet of missile and satellite-tracking and telemetry vessels. In addition to the newly commissioned Liao Wang-1, the PLA has four existing ships assigned to this mission: Yuan Wang-3, -5, -6 and -7. They have been active in the South Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, conducting port calls in Cape Town, Durban, Hambantota, Papeete and Suva between 2015 and 2025. Visits to Suva, for example, are conducted regularly for crew member R&R and replenishment.”
“Between 2022 and 2025, China signed 26 bilateral agreements on space cooperation, with Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Brazil, Egypt, France, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. The agreements cover establishing new space cooperation dialogue platforms and mechanisms, training foreign astronauts to participate in China’s space missions and broader personnel exchange and training, cooperating in lunar and deep space exploration, developing of satellites, sharing data and using Chinese sites to launch satellites on behalf of other states. As part of its bilateral relationships, China has also built and/or launched satellites in its own territory on behalf of Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia (agreed in 2018 but not yet delivered), Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran (planned), Laos, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Venezuela.”