U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, "Hearing: China’s Proliferation Practices, and the Development of its Cyber and Space Warfare Capabilities," May 20, 2008

May 20, 2008
Room 562, Dirksen Senate Office Building
First Street and Constitution Avenue, NE
Washington, DC  20510

Hearing Co-Chairs:  Commissioners Peter Brookes and William Reinsch

Opening Statement of William Reinsch, Commissioner

Welcome back to the hearing. I’m pleased to co-chair this hearing on these three important topics, which have significant implications for U.S. security and for international peace and security.

In our first panel this afternoon, the Commission will explore China’s cyber warfare activities. The Commission has found that Chinese military strategists have embraced the use of cyber attacks as a military tactic and part of the Chinese military doctrine. Such attacks, if carried out strategically on a large scale, could have catastrophic effects on the target country’s critical infrastructure. The purpose of this panel is to examine what capabilities the Chinese military has developed, and what the impact of a potential attack would be on U.S. security and critical infrastructure.

Our last panel of the day will examine China’s proliferation practices and nonproliferation commitments. Last year in its Annual Report the Commission concluded that China’s nonproliferation record has improved, especially after the establishment of its domestic export control system. However, serious concerns remain about the continued transfer of weapons and technology. China is a party to numerous nonproliferation agreements which create obligations to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction and also to prevent the spread of WMD technology, materials, and delivery systems. The United States, also as a party to its international agreements on nonproliferation, can play a positive role in encouraging China’s compliance.

I look to the testimony of our expert witnesses and to the recommendations that they may provide for consideration by the Commission. Thank you again for participating in the hearing and we’ll begin with our first panel this afternoon.

Opening Statements
Opening Statement of William Reinsch, Commissioner

Panel I:  Congressional Perspectives
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D, CA-16th)

Panel II:  PRC Space Capabilities
Brigadier General Jeffrey C. Horne, Deputy Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, United States Strategic Command, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Dr. Ashley J. Tellis, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, DC
Mr. William B. Scott, author and former editor of Aviation Week and Space Technology, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Panel III:  PRC Cyber Space Capabilities
Colonel Gary D. McAlum, Director of Operations, Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations, United States Strategic Command, Arlington, Virginia
Mr. Timothy L. Thomas, analyst at the Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Dr. James Mulvenon, Director of Advanced Studies and Analysis, Defense Group, Inc., Washington, DC

Panel IV: Administration Perspective
Ms. Patricia McNerney, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, Washington, DC

Panel V:  China's Proliferation Practices
The Honorable Stephen G. Rademaker, Senior Counsel, BGR Holding, LLC, Washington, DC
Mr. Henry D. Sokolski, Executive Director, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, Washington, DC