China's bold moves to counter Starlink's military applications with cutting-edge satellite disruption methods spotlight the pivotal role space would play in a Taiwan Strait conflict.

This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Chinese scientists have developed a method to target SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation. SCMP says the method simulates a space operation that could approach nearly 1,400 Starlink satellites within 12 hours using 99 Chinese satellites.

The research, led by Wu Yunhua, director of the aerospace control department at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was published in the Chinese academic journal Systems Engineering and Electronics and highlights Starlink's military applications as witnessed in the Ukraine war.

The Chinese team's computer simulation suggests that China could effectively track and monitor the operational status of Starlink satellites, which are equipped with lasers, microwaves and other devices for reconnaissance and tracking. The SCMP report notes that the method uses a new binary AI algorithm to mimic the hunting strategy of whales.

Wu's team claims to have developed an unprecedented technology that enables computers at the ground control center to generate a comprehensive and reliable action plan in less than two minutes.

It also says the research has received significant funding from the Chinese government and military, with the Harbin Institute of Technology also participating in the project.

Asia Times has previously reported that China is reportedly developing anti-satellite technologies to counter the perceived military threat posed by the Starlink network, which has demonstrated strategic utility in Ukraine by enabling real-time battlefield coordination.

Chinese researchers advocate "soft and hard kill methods" to neutralize Starlink's decentralized constellation, which provides resilient communication through over 2,300 satellites.