Empire of the stars—not yet? China as a ‘partial’ great power in space

The ‘rise of China’ is one of the most important developments in the field of space activities. In recent years, China has made considerable progress in advancing its space capabilities and now plays a pivotal role in the direction of space security matters and the global governance of space activities against the backdrop of global space challenges and a more complex space environment. This raises the question of whether China is a great power in space and whether it is able to convert its material capabilities into influence. This article addresses these questions by assessing China’s space power within the scope of a societal framework that treats space power not only as material, but also as social. It argues that China’s ability to provide leadership in space is constrained by its limited ability to attract and hold followers. At the same time, China’s ambitions to become a great power in space are hampered by recent U.S. efforts to reassert leadership. Consequently, although China has tried to play a stronger role in space through diplomacy, institution-building, and the provision of goods, especially in its engagement with the Global South, it remains a ‘partial’ great power in a U.S.-led space order.