US exploring potential space force hotline with China

According to U.S. commander General Chance Saltzman, the United States Space Force has held internal conversations about establishing a hotline with China to prevent space disasters.

The head of space operations stated that de-escalating tensions would benefit from a direct line of communication between the Space Force and its Chinese counterpart, but that the U.S. has not yet engaged with China to build one.

“What we have talked about on the U.S. side at least is opening up a line of communication to make sure that if there is a crisis, we know who we can contact,” Saltzman said, adding that it would be up to President Joe Biden and the State Department to take the lead on such discussions.

The remarks come at a time when the US Space Force is considering opening a branch in Japan, China’s military aspirations in the Indo-Pacific are unsettling its neighbours, and the conflict in Ukraine has brought attention to the value of space assets in conflict.

Taiwan and any lessons China may have learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago have been of particular concern to Japan. China, which regards Taiwan, which is democratically run, as its own territory, has not rejected using force to annex the island.

When Saltzman met senior Japanese defence officials on Monday in Tokyo, he was able to confirm that the space force was looking into the possibility of setting up a regional office there.

He didn’t go into detail on where or why it would be used.

In order to monitor and comprehend space activity to deter China and prevent “grey zone activities,” such as jamming satellite signals, Saltzman noted that closer cooperation with like-minded nations, such as Japan, would be essential.

“We have to be able to have those indications and warnings and see what they’re doing and call them on the intent. Just being hypersensitive so we don’t fall prey to grey zone activities,” Saltzman said.

Additionally lacking a clear line of communication with its Russian counterpart is the 2019-established U.S. Space Force.

(With agency inputs)