According to the U.S. "Defense Watch" on September 3, China has for the first time concentrated on displaying three new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) during the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan: DF-5C, DF-31BJ, and DF-61. The U.S. media has evaluated this as a significant leap in China's strategic nuclear strike capability in recent years, demonstrating that China is reshaping the global nuclear deterrence landscape.

The report pointed out that due to China not having a global base system like the U.S. military, ICBMs have always been the core pillar of China's nuclear deterrence.

This parade not only showcased the upgrading of land-based missiles but also for the first time included the air-based missile "Jinglei-1" in the strategic missile formation, complementing the previously known sea-based "Juliang-3" missile, marking China's first complete display of a triad nuclear strike capability.

The U.S. media specifically noted that although China still lags far behind the U.S. and Russia in the total number of nuclear warheads, it is achieving a qualitative advantage through technological superiority and structural adjustments, gradually building a modernized nuclear deterrence system that is more survivable, capable of penetration, and strategically flexible.

This approach of quality leadership rather than quantity parity is changing the nuclear order dominated by the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War.

DF-5C

China's pursuit of qualitative superiority is based on systematic breakthroughs across multiple key dimensions.

Firstly, the technological gap in penetration capabilities.

Whether it is the 10 to 14 maneuverable nuclear warheads carried by the DF-5C, or the hypersonic glide vehicles that may be integrated into the DF-31BJ and DF-61, they all possess strong penetration capabilities, capable of evading interception from unconventional directions or at extreme speeds, effectively dismantling the U.S. long-term built mid-course anti-missile system.

Secondly, the diversity of strike platforms and the enhancement of survival capabilities.

From fixed silos to mobile roads, from underwater launches to air-mounted, China's strategic missiles no longer rely on a few fixed targets, but have high elasticity to survive and retaliate in complex wartime environments.

More importantly, the jump in response speed allows the missile to go from command to takeoff within minutes, greatly enhancing the rapid nuclear response capability.

On this basis, China has also built a highly integrated information-based nuclear command and control system through the Beidou navigation, quantum communication, and space-based reconnaissance, making the strike not just a nuclear retaliation, but a strategic suppression.

Therefore, China does not need to replicate the Cold War inventory of thousands of warheads of the U.S. and Russia, but instead achieve more realistic deterrence objectives with a high-quality system.

DF-31BJ

This structural leap is not only because of the DF-61.

Although the debut of the DF-61 did indeed shock the world, it was speculated to be the next generation of main mobile ICBM replacing the DF-41, but it is just part of the whole picture.

Along with it, the DF-5C was also unveiled, which is a super silo-based missile with high payload and multi-warhead delivery capability, considered to be the main force for city-level strikes against the U.S. mainland.

The DF-31BJ, as an upgraded version of an established model, has superior mobility, survivability, and launch preparation time compared to most Western counterparts.

What truly broke the pattern, however, was the air-launched nuclear missile Jinglei-1, which made its debut in the parade for the first time.

This is the first time China has publicly displayed its air-based nuclear strike capability, meaning that bombers can fly through the edge of air superiority and choose the optimal path to deploy strategic weapons during wartime, turning the Sino-U.S. nuclear confrontation from a single direction into full coverage.

In addition, combined with the Juliang-3 submarine-launched missiles carried by the 094A-class nuclear submarines, China's sea-based nuclear forces have also acquired the complete capability to strike the U.S. mainland.

Therefore, it is not the DF-61 that changed the pattern, but the simultaneous cross-generation upgrades of the three platforms of sea, land, and air, enabling China to move towards a new stage of nuclear deterrence.

DF-61

Before this parade, China's nuclear deterrence structure still followed the basic strategic logic of minimum nuclear retaliation, that is, retaining sufficient means to carry out retaliation after suffering a nuclear attack, thereby constructing a bottom-line deterrence.

In practice, this system has limited numbers and slow response times, lacks multi-platform penetration capabilities, and lacks tactical-level rapid countermeasures, relying more on existence-based deterrence rather than structural suppression.

However, after this parade, with the collective appearance of the air-based nuclear missile Jinglei-1, the DF-61 quick-response missile, the DF-5C multi-warhead missile, and the Juliang-3 submarine-launched missile, China has completed the construction of a truly triad nuclear strike system, entering a new era of nuclear weapon systematization, quick response, and concealment.

This structure means that China can conduct nuclear strikes from any direction during wartime, and the enemy will almost be unable to predict, intercept, or destroy them first.

In this new pattern, China is no longer a strategically defensive country, but a strategic subject with the power to shape deterrence.

Therefore, the U.S. media's statement that China has reshaped the global nuclear deterrence landscape is not an exaggeration, but an accurate judgment of the qualitative change in China's nuclear weapons system.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7546114980324655631/

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