Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Mississippi students, faculty respond to China's missile test
By Angie Barmer
Daily Mississippian (U. Mississippi)
01/24/2007

(U-WIRE) OXFORD, Miss. — On Jan. 11, 2007 China launched an anti-satellite (ASAT) destructive ground-based, medium-range ballistic missile at an orbiting Chinese weather satellite in the hopes of obliterating the satellite.

It worked.

This was the third of three failed attempts of China's missile test, according to CNN reports.

For students and faculty members following the tests or others on campus who are affiliated with China, the missile test brings up many questions.

Charles A. Ingene, chair of Business Administration, believes the destroying of the satellite was an impressive technical achievement.

Gang Guo, Croft assistant professor in Political Science and International Studies, said, "the test certainly shows some progress in China's military technologies, but this technology is rather outdated by international standard. The Chinese are still decades behind the U.S. or Russia in such technology."

Last October President Bush signed into law new provisions of the U.S. National Space Policy.

According to the Associated Press, the policy says that space systems should have rights of passage without interference, and that the United States would view any deliberate interference with its space systems as an infringement on its rights.

Furthermore, the policy includes the right to "deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests."

Union of Concerned Scientists reported that China and other countries have long called for discussions to develop a legal framework for space conduct, but the United States has been unwilling to join them. As a result, China's ASAT test was legal.

"I don't care about the U.S. military," said Wu Dong, post doctorate in the Environmental Toxicology Research Program. "I like peace; I don't like war. Even if I give my opinion [on China's test missile], nothing will change."

Candy Pun, an undergraduate business marketing major from Hong Kong, said, "I think different political views cause different military actions, which will cause different opinions. China, America, Australia, etc. all have different political views and whenever both sides have military actions, the political environment is different. Maybe America is too scared and worrying too much; I don't think China will attack the U.S."

However, Ingene believes the United States should feel threatened by the Chinese military and believes that the United States has a reason to protest the use of ASAT weapons.

Guo believes otherwise.

"The U.S. has serious concern about this but should not feel threatened," he said. "Presently the common interests between the two countries in such crucial areas as trade, energy, North Korea, and anti-terrorism far outweigh potential conflicts. That situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future."

"The U.S. should start working with other partners including Russia, the European Union, Japan, and China towards a multilateral treaty governing the peaceful use of space as soon as possible."

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