CCP Inc. in Argentina: China’s International Space Industry Engagement

This “CCP Inc.” case study examines China’s state capitalism in the space sector by unpacking key Chinese business deals and state projects in Argentina. To Beijing, the space sector is strategically important for national military, economic, and technological development and is more closely tied to the state than most other industries. As demonstrated by the case of Argentina, these close ties can benefit Chinese party-state actors going overseas by providing material state support—but can also become a liability by engendering skepticism among host countries and potential business partners over Chinese firms’ motivations. To explore these elements of the CCP Inc. ecosystem, this report examines two recent projects in China-Argentina space collaboration: first, the construction of China’s first international deep space ground station, and second, the dynamics of Chinese business collaboration with Argentine satellite technology start-up Satellogic. 

This report was made possible through the generous support of the Smith Richardson Foundation.