CHINA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAMS. PART 2.1. MILITARY SPACE PROGRAMS AND DUAL-USE SPACE PROGRAMS (“BEIDOU”, “GAOFEN”)
Authors:   Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, Gordienko Dmitry V. 
Published: April 2024

Subject/topic. In the context of an intensified struggle for leadership between the United States and China and the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions, the task of analyzing the implementation of space exploration programs by China and other countries of the world becomes especially urgent for Russia. At the same time, assessing China’s prospects for its implementation of space flight programs, lunar exploration, planetary exploration, as well as the implementation of military space programs and dual-use space programs is also determined by the need to determine possible areas of Russian-Chinese cooperation and ensuring security in space. Goals/objectives. To analyze in chronological order the directions of China’s space exploration and evaluate the country’s prospects for the implementation of space flight programs, lunar exploration, planetary exploration, as well as the implementation of military space programs, dual-use space programs and programs of Chinese private companies. Methodology. The work analyzes in chronological order the directions of China’s space exploration and assesses the country’s prospects for the implementation of space flight programs, lunar exploration, planetary exploration, as well as the implementation of military space programs, dual-use space programs and programs of Chinese private companies. Results. Based on the results of a chronological analysis of the directions of Chinese space exploration and an assessment of the prospects of this country for the implementation of space flight programs, lunar exploration, planetary exploration, as well as the implementation of military space programs, dual-use space programs and programs of Chinese private companies, possible areas of Russian-Chinese cooperation and ensuring safety in space. Discussion/application. An approach is proposed to conduct a chronological analysis of the directions of Chinese space exploration and assess the prospects of this country for the implementation of space flight programs, lunar exploration, planetary exploration, as well as the implementation of military space programs, dual-use space programs and programs of Chinese private companies. As a result, possible directions for Russian-Chinese cooperation and security in space can be identified. Conclusions/Significance. The results of a chronological analysis of the directions of Chinese space exploration and an assessment of this country’s prospects for the implementation of space programs can be used to substantiate recommendations to the leadership of our country on Russian-Chinese cooperation and ensuring security in space. It is concluded that the People’s Republic of China is becoming one of the leaders in space exploration, which makes it possible to expand Russian-Chinese cooperation and ensure security in space.