A Research On Outerspace Deterrence Strategy Of The United States After The Cold War

Since the establishment of Westphalia system, in the year 1684, the relation among sovereignties becomes normalized. With the history of human evolution, the change of relation among nations can be divided into three stages. The primitive stage is the natural relation, namely geopolitical relations, such as territory, marine belt and airspace; the secondary is the relation that economics begins to participate in constructing the relation among sovereignties besides geopolitical relations; the relations among nations are exhibited as economic and trade relation. As with the development of science and technology and the expansion that human being exploring circumambient surroundings, science factor becomes to lead the relation construction among nations which is called technical relation, performing as engineering, technical and scientific relations.Outer space is a special physical environment different with the land, sea and air, featured by a vast territory, lofty location, special circumstances, having valuable resources. However, due to technical limitations, the use of outer space for human resources is limited, and competition for resources of outer space may lead to conflict. Peaceful use of space is an important issue in the international community. Technical relation becomes the determinant in the international relation construction. Realistic constructivism posits that the serious imbalance in the power structure of outer space results from the existence of technical steps outer space rent.U.S. is in a dominant position of outer space power construction. To seek absolute advantage in the outer space, the United States continues to promote the process of militarization of outer space and raises outer space deterrence strategy with advanced technology and facilities.Theoretically, an American scholar proposes three elements of reliable deterrence: enough to affect global deterrence; able to use deterrence with determination and will; and through a certain method to make them know and believe that the above two points. During the Cold War, deterrence theory has been empirical and applied in the traditional areas of nuclear deterrence, for U.S. deterrence strategy in other areas to provide a theoretical support. After the Cold War, due to the profound changes of the international situation, the United States began to adjust its national security strategy, offering the new Trinity Strategy to have the nuclear and non-nuclear strike capabilities, active and passive defense capability and infrastructure to respond quickly, emphasizing the combination of nuclear weapons and outer space, which provides a theoretical basis for nuclear deterrence into outer space deterrence.In practice, the U.S. space deterrence strategy has undergone three phases: 1991 to 2000, the outer space deterrence begins to depart with nuclear deterrence; The Bush’s administration develops “control space” outer space deterrence strategy of outer space to seek absolute security. During Obama’s Administration, the U.S. space deterrence strategy system has gradually perfected. Under the guidance of outer space deterrence strategy, the United States is committed to the construction and deployment of ballistic missile defense system, anti-satellite weapons and rapid global strike systems, to the adoption of the absolute advantage of offensive capacity building to achieve effective deterrence effect of outer space. However, the U.S. space deterrence strategy is caught in a paradox: the purpose of the U.S. space deterrence strategy is to gain security, however, the above mentioned strategic initiatives of the United States, decreases the stability of an arms race in outer space, crisis stability and first attack stability, and promote the process of weaponization of outer space, adding to the threat of an arms race in outer space. Therefore the possibility of the outbreak of war in outer space increases.Faced the U.S. outer space deterrence strategy as well as its negative impact, China should adhere to the position of opposing the weaponization of outer space and an arms race in outer space, maintaining the existing framework of international law of outer space security, promoting strategical security communication of foreign air force control, strengthen interdependence of leadership and coordination; additionally, China should actively seek international cooperation with Russia and other countries to jointly promote the negotiation process of boosting outer space arms control; furthermore, China should develop military and civilian integration aerospace industry with specialty and enhance the non- symmetric and vindication system capacity to ensure the interests of national security and safety of outer space.