The US military expects that China will try to inhibit the United States' capabilities in space, President Joe Biden's nominee for commander of the US Space Command, Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, said during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2023) The US military expects that China will try to inhibit the United States' capabilities in space, President Joe Biden's nominee for commander of the US Space Command, Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, said during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
"Because the People's Republic of China has studied how we use space, we do expect that they will try to inhibit our ability to use space the way we would prefer to across the joint force," Whiting said.
Whiting agreed with lawmakers that a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan could lead to a battle in space with the United States.
"We think the opening shots of such a war could happen in space or cyber," he said.
Earlier in July, US Indo-Pacific Command head Adm. John Aquilino expressed confidence that the US military is capable of defending Taiwan against a Chinese invasion.
Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing regards the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous entity but stops short of declaring independence.
Beijing opposes any official foreign contacts with Taipei and regards its sovereignty over the island as indisputable.�
