Killing them softly: China’s counterspace developments and force posture in space.

China is developing counterspace capabilities which may threaten US space systems. At the same time, its increasing space dependence encourages restraint in warfare. We argue that these conflicting trends have affected China’s counterspace posture in two main ways. First, China is bolstering space deterrence through offensive weapons, as well as more resilient and redundant space systems. Second, China prioritizes soft-kill counterspace capabilities that can be used earlier in a conflict with lower escalation risks. Our findings highlight how first-strike stability in space differs from robust to tenuous depending on means and targets, with soft-kill attacks being harder to deter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]