The analysis, authored by a group of unnamed researchers at the National Defense University, listed space as an area where the People's Liberation Army must be equipped and prepared to defend the nation's interests.

"Our military should not only protect China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, but should also protect the oceans and transport routes and other economic interests as well as ... the security of space," it said.

Similar suggestions were put forward last month in the Study Times, a newspaper published by the Communist Party's Central Party School.

"We should strive to develop coordinated land, sea, air and space systems," the paper said.

This seemed to mark a departure from previous strategic literature in China, which has tended to give space a less prominent place in the nation's defense planning.

The most recent government white paper on defense published in late 2004 only made scattered references to space and did not characterize it as a possible battleground for its armed forces.

China instead used the white paper to urge efforts to prevent an expensive arms race in space.

"Outer space is the common property of mankind," the 2004 white paper stated.

"China hopes that the international community would take action as soon as possible to conclude an international legal instrument on preventing the weaponization of, and arms race in, outer space through negotiations."

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