Blinding our satellite coverage is one way to knock us back and unbalance us long enough to achieve that quick win over China:
The DIA [Note: Defense Intelligence Agency] has discovered that the Chinese are working hard on jamming satellite signals and using lasers to damage satellites. All this is in addition to Chinese work on tracking satellites, a prerequisite for damaging or destroying them.
The Japanese thought pretty much the same thing (without the satellite thing, obviously). But we didn't stay knocked back and we came after Japan even though it took years.
On the other hand, Japan didn't have nuclear weapons. I'd rather stop the Chinese in their initial rush rather than count on cooler heads prevailing in Peking as we push them back.
UPDATE: While zapping our satellites would be an act of war easily recognizable, and so probably wouldn't be used at the same time China hits Taiwan (as I've said, China calls Taiwan an internal issue; so why would China make it an international issue by hitting America unless they have to?), cyber-warfare is tougher to identify and if done in low enough doses to disrupt our preparations to move forces to the western Pacific, could be done at the same time as the initial attack on Taiwan:
Chinese cyberwarfare would pose a "genuine risk" to the U.S. military in a conflict, for instance over Taiwan or disputes in the South China Sea, according to a report prepared for the U.S. Congress.
Operations against computer networks have become fundamental to Beijing's military and national development strategies over the past decade, said the 136-page analysis by Northrop Grumman Corp released on Thursday by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Do some of this as a shot across the bow and they could slow down our reaction. And save full cyber-war attacks and satellite attacks for the stage when we are about to challenge the Chinese area denial region that they hope will keep us away from China while they subdue Taiwan.
