Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 7, 2026

Geostrategy-Direct

By Richard Fisher

In August 2023 China’s major state-owned space corporation that reliably reflects the vision of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), held a conference in Beijing in which it was revealed that starting in 2020, CASC has been researching how China could populate our Solar System.

This was the closest that one may get to a public acknowledgement from the CCP that it seeks “hegemony” in space to compliment its long gathering ambition to achieve hegemony on Earth, implying that the CCP also seeks strategic/economic/military superiority in space, the Moon, Mars and beyond.

It is not clear whether President Donald Trump is aware of the scope of the CCP’s ambition in space, but his Dec. 18, 2025 Executive Order (EO) “Ensuring American Space Superiority” provides long overdue leadership to thwart China’s ambition.

The EO starts by stating its purpose:

“Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower, and the technologies Americans develop to achieve it contribute substantially to the Nation’s strength, security, and prosperity. The United States must therefore pursue a space policy that will extend the reach of human discovery, secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests, unleash commercial development, and lay the foundation for a new space age.”

It then lists Trump Administration policy priorities, that include:

• “[R]eturning Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars…”

• “[E]stablishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration…”

• “[D]eveloping and demonstrating prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses…”

• “[C]reating a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture by accelerating acquisition reform, integrating commercial space capabilities, and enabling new market entrants…”

• “[S]trengthening ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security, including through increased space security spending, operational cooperation, basing agreements, and ally and partner investments in America’s space industrial base.”

The EO also creates the objective of “Growing a vibrant commercial space economy through the power of American free enterprise,” by “attracting at least $50 billion” in space investments by 2028 and “spurring private sector initiative” to replace the International Space Station by 2030.

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  Trump Executive Order requires ‘space superiority’