Howard Wang

Ensuring military access to the territory of allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific in the event of a future conflict with China is a critical concern for U.S. policymakers. By looking at five specific allies and partners, the authors explore how states are likely to approach access requests, what factors influence such decisions, and what peacetime policy levers the United States might have to increase the likelihood of access in conflict.

This report's authors examine how transitions in the Chinese Communist Party's political legitimacy since 1949 have affected the Chinese military's development and performance. The authors also consider how these links could evolve in coming years.

This report surveys open-source literature across the Chinese defense enterprise to present a composite image of People's Liberation Army (PLA) perspectives and key factors for U.S.-China crisis stability in space. It draws on authoritative materials, including leader speeches reported in official media, defense white papers, and professional military education, which collectively reflect political leader guidance and PLA strategy and doctrine.