On US Export Policy To China Satellite

The export administration system is a huge and complicated regime includingnumerous laws and regulations. It also refers to the competition and balancing amongthe Congress, President and different government departments for the authorizationrights. As a part of the export administration system, satellite export control policy isalso the key factor for the conduction of foreign policies, realization of the nationalstrategy and national security by preventing some countries or areas to obtainadvanced rocket and satellite related technologies.The cooperation on satellite between China and the United States hasexperienced twists and turns with four notable characteristics of easing, warming,refrigerating and freezing during different presidential periods. The ultimate goal ofthis policy is to safeguard the national security of the United States. To block thedevelopment of Chinese satellite technology by conducting satellite export control isthe essence of this policy, while it also reflects their fears and concerns of the peacefulrise of China. Since the late1990s, the satellite export from the United States to Chinahas been freezed up, and there is no evidence of any easing, even though PresidentObama has began to loose the bans on satellite export to some other countries in2013.The outdated and excessive control on satellites export to China is acting againstthe globalization of world economy, nor the close trade relations between China andthe United States. The goal of “safeguarding the national security” has never beenrealized for decades. Based on a detailed case of Chinasat8, this thesis is focused onAmerica’s satellite export control policy to China by comparing the differenttreatments in satellite export practices to China and other countries. This article alsodiscusses the reasons behind this phenomenon and concluds that the easing of satelliteexport to China will be a daydream in the near future.