China’s Modernization Efforts and Activities in Outer Space, Cyberspace, and the Arctic

As China has become wealthier and its national interests has expanded, its interests in the resources and management of the global commons has increased. China is not only seen as attempting to redefine certain parts of the traditional global commons, but also developing long-range weapons and area denial strategies to deny or disrupt US military operations in the commons. These include cruise and ballistic missiles for use against ground and naval targets, counterspace weapons for use against satellites, and computer malware for use against computer systems. The ability of the United States to maintain access to the global commons in the face of these new challenges will to a large extent determine the ability of the United States to project power around the world in defense of its interests.