[Epoch Times October 17, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Wang Xiang comprehensive report) The Financial Times on Saturday (October 16) quoted a number of people familiar with the matter as saying that China (the Chinese Communist Party) was testing in August A hypersonic missile with nuclear capabilities.
The report said that the hypersonic missile orbited the earth before reaching the target.
The report said that this experiment showed that China (the CCP) possesses advanced space capabilities and “made the US intelligence agencies caught off guard.”
The report quoted five sources “familiar with this test” as saying that the Chinese military launched a rocket, carrying a hypersonic gliding device, and flew in low-orbit space before cruising towards the target.
The report said that the missile was about 20 miles away from the target, but it showed that China (the CCP) has made “astonishing progress” in hypersonic weapons.
The United States, Russia, and China are all studying hypersonic weapons. Russia tested a hypersonic missile in July. The United States plans to equip all naval destroyers with such missiles, which can fly at more than five times the speed of sound.
In the past, ballistic missiles flew high in an arc to reach the target, while hypersonic missiles flew at a lower altitude, which enabled them to reach the target faster. Moreover, the hypersonic missile can be controlled after launch, making it easier to evade the defense system.
“We have made it clear that China (the CCP) continues to pursue military capabilities, which will only increase tensions in the region and other regions,” US Department of Defense spokesperson John Kirby told the Financial Times “. “This is one of the reasons why we challenge China (the CCP) as our number one opponent.”
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party’s embassy in London, said that the Chinese Communist Party’s military policy is “defensive” and that “we are not interested in an arms race with other countries at all.”
China expert Zhang Jiadun tweeted: “Because the United States has arms control obligations with Russia, the United States cannot use similar missiles. China (the CCP) is not a party to any missile restriction treaty. Now is the time to get rid of our (armament) relationship with Moscow. Restrictions) treaties so that we can begin to protect ourselves from Chinese (CCP) warheads.”
The #US cannot field a similar missile because of our arms-control obligations to #Russia. #China is not a party to any treaty restricting such a missile. It’s time to get out of our treaties with #Moscow so we can start defending ourselves from #Chinese warheads. https://t.co/0ijLdLUMZB
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) October 16, 2021
After taking office, the Biden administration reached an agreement with Russia on February 4, agreeing to extend the “New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty” to 2026. The treaty imposes restrictions on Russian and American intercontinental missiles and bombers, but it does not cover new types of weapons.
The Trump administration has been calling for China to participate in the tripartite nuclear arms control negotiations between the United States, Russia and China, but it has been repeatedly rejected by Beijing.
US think tank Rand Corporation military analyst Derek J. Grossman tweeted that China may have just realized its own “Sputnik” (Sputnik, the name of the first human satellite, metaphor for the first time) Moment, used to counter the US military.
“It is difficult to say how much this space-based (strike) capability will change the rules of the game, if (this capability) is perfected. The US missile defense system may be denied or even eliminated.” He warned Say.
‼️‼️ China may have just achieved its own Sputnik moment against the US military. Hard to exaggerate how much of a game changer this space-based capability might be if perfected. US missile defenses could become negated or even obsolete. ‼️‼️ https://t.co/hhHtLcvqZD
— Derek J. Grossman (@DerekJGrossman) October 16, 2021
Chinese domestic media “Reference News” reported six days ago that military experts said that hypersonic warheads are the next highlight in intercontinental warfare.
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