A Study On The Space Cooperation Among The United States And Its Asia-pacific Allies From The Perspective Of Neo-realistic Alliance Theory

Since the Obama administration came into power in 2009,facing the financial crisis,the United States has conducted a series of space cooperation with its allies in the Asia-pacific area in order to save limited military space fund,form the military space network in this area and contain rising China.Although the space strategy of the Obama administration seems more temperate than that of the Bush administration,its ultimate purpose is still to maintain and consolidate America's dominance and hegemony in space.To cooperate with America's allies in space is just a kind of approach to achieve this aim.Different from past space cooperation which was always limited in civil aspects,the cooperation among the United States and its allies this time is focusing on the military use of space.Guided by the strategy of rebalance in Asia-pacific,the United States has continually integrated allies' military ability in space,especially in global positioning,space monitoring and missile defense,trying the best to expand America's military space power while saving more military fund.Now in the Asia-pacific area,the United States has formed a “Flying Geese Cooperation Model” which is actually a military alliance in space led by the United States.This kind of alliance will neither promote the peaceful use of space,nor maintain the stability in the region.It will also stimulate some states to conduct arms race in space and do harm to the favorable development of space cooperation.In this circumstance,China has to take some actions to get rid of America's containment,to promote well-organized space cooperation and to advance the regional peace and prosperity.This study starts with the analysis of the neo-realistic alliance theory.It divides the studies of alliance theory into four parts: the origins of alliances,the modes of alliances,the maintenance of alliances and the dilemmas of alliances.And then it talks about the correspondence between the alliance theory and the space cooperation among America and its allies.Secondly the study demonstrates America's strategic intent which seeks to maintain its space hegemony and global dominance,using the theoretical means of the origins of alliances.Thirdly the study concludes the mode of US space alliance which is guided by the strategy of rebalance in Asia-pacific,analyzing the character,composition and utilization of this “Flying Geese Cooperation Model”.Fourthly the study lists several aspects of the alliance's space cooperation including the global communication and positioning system,the sharing mechanism of intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance,and the ballistic missile defense system.Through these cases the study explores the maintenance of the space alliance.At last,the study analyses the outcomes brought by the space cooperation among the US and its Asia-pacific allies,revealing the unfavorable aftermath that arouses space arms race,deteriorates geopolitical situation and squeezes the room of China's space cooperation.According to all these analysis and research,the study provides some suggestions for China to react at the end,such as forming the “Space Silk Road”,promoting TCBMs and increasing space deterrence.