China destroyed an old weather satellite with a missile. They have
always called for an international treaty on space weapons but of
course the US never wanted to play. Looks now as if they were playing a
game all along.

Jobs and nationalism would be the only
two pillars on which Chinese communism could sustain power, Deng
Xiaoping told the party after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Deliver
those and it might hold off political challenge. It has, and by
expanding its military capability it feeds nationalism.

Taiwan
is the thorn in its side – it has existed in splendid isolation
protected by the US, yet threatened with invasion if it should ever
declare independence. China wants it back, and the ability to take out
US surveillance satellites makes it that much more feasible.

Japan
has talked frequently about developing a nuclear weapon, but so far has
trusted in US assurance that they would use their nuclear missiles on
their behalf. But the US has dwindling military power – talk of
building a defence mechanism against a Chinese attack on American
satellites is for the birds; the expense, given Iraq, and technological
complexity make it impossible.

Will Hutton in the Guardian