U.S. Eyes "Intent" of China's Space Programs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military needs to deepen dialogue with China to better understand the intent of its space programs, a U.S. general said on Tuesday, after a Chinese commander announced plans to develop offensive military capabilities in space.

General Kevin Chilton, head of the Pentagon's Strategic Command which coordinates U.S. military operations in space, said China-watchers had been "absolutely amazed" by the country's advances in its space programs over the past decade.

China was "on a fast-track to improving capabilities" and is not alone in wanting to ramp up its operations in space, he said.

"I think what we have all come to understand is that space is a competitive domain," Chilton said. "We're going to have to address these issues and these concepts and I think it's better we do them through ... a forum that provides an open dialogue between our nations than to do them without that dialogue."

People's Liberation Army Air Force Commander Xu Qiliang was quoted on Sunday by the Xinhua state news agency as saying China's air force would develop capabilities for offensive and defense operations in space and that "only power could protect peace."

Chilton said Xu's reported comments represented "an area that we'll want to explore and understand exactly what China's intentions are here."

The U.S. military would want to know "why they might want to go in that direction and what grounds might exist to accommodate a different direction."

Three Chinese astronauts last year successfully completed the country's first spacewalk, during a 68-hour voyage hailed as a major victory by Beijing.

Its first lunar probe, the Chang'e-1 satellite, finished its mission in October 2008.

FAST-TRACK IN SPACE

Chilton said China's rapid advances in both its manned and unmanned space programs were to be commended, but also showed the need for greater transparency by China's armed forces.