PLA should play role in space: Strategist

A military strategist has proposed the Chinese army to set up its own space forces in the future to protect China's growing extraterrestrial assets.

Space forces, often portrayed in the realms of science fiction as having fleets of spaceships equipped with lasers, are being developed by countries including the US and Russia to protect their off-world interests.

Wang Fa'an, a senior researcher on the construction of armed forces with the Academy of Military Sciences, said his call for China to develop its own space forces is not necessary for the time being, but may become pressing after the country carries out more space missions.