During a sensitive period, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) publicly released footage of its first-ever high-speed hypersonic missile, the DF-17, and conducted live-fire tests targeting "Guam-killing" scenarios, while deploying large-scale air formations toward the Western Pacific for "long-range maritime operations." These three major "long-range strike" actions clearly signal to external forces such as the United States and Japan: under extreme circumstances, the PLA possesses the capability to conduct precise long-range strikes on relevant military targets.

First, let’s examine the four key background factors. First, from June 24 to July 31, the 2026 RIMPAC military exercises—led by the United States—were held in Hawaiian waters. This edition set multiple historical highs, involving over 25,000 personnel from 31 countries, around 45 main combat vessels, five submarines, and 140 military aircraft. As the world’s largest naval exercise, RIMPAC continues to expand in scale. Notably, both the U.S. and Russia were excluded, sending an unmistakable message. Second, the G7 Summit had just concluded, continuing years of unwarranted criticism and baseless accusations against China. Third, Japan and the Philippines, acting as U.S. proxies, have recently provoked tensions near eastern waters off Taiwan Island, initiating so-called negotiations on maritime demarcation with the intent to divide China’s exclusive economic zone. Fourth, the PLA Strategic Missile Force will celebrate its 60th anniversary on July 1.

China’s countermeasures followed precisely on schedule. First, according to information released by Taiwan’s military, starting at 8:10 a.m. on June 21, 19 flights of PLA aircraft—including J-16s, KJ-500 early-warning planes, and Y-20 refueling tankers—entered the southwestern airspace of Taiwan Island and the Western Pacific for long-range maritime operations. At the same time, the number of PLA surveillance ships and aircraft conducting patrols near Taiwan Island has increased. According to Taiwan’s military, from 6:00 a.m. on June 21 to 6:00 a.m. on June 22, they detected seven mainland warships, five government vessels, and 20 sorties of mainland aircraft crossing the "midline of the Taiwan Strait," approaching the island closely.

In this group of "long-range maritime operations," the J-16 serves as a strike platform, the KJ-500 provides situational awareness dissemination, and the Y-20 extends operational radius and airborne endurance to achieve "inter-regional sustained presence." The main force directly penetrated the southwest airspace—the Western Pacific corridor. The strategic significance of this corridor is crystal clear: if conflict arises, the PLA can effectively deny the Taiwan Island’s eastern flank for retreat, resupply, or allied reinforcement.

Second, on June 20, CCTV’s program “Military Time” aired two real-combat drills conducted by the Rocket Force. In one scene, the DF-17 missile launch vehicle was seen erecting on a roadside before launching vertically into the sky. Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao reported that this marked the first time Chinese state media publicly displayed the launch footage of the DF-17 hypersonic missile, widely interpreted as signaling the PLA’s ability to carry out long-range precision strikes.

What exactly makes the DF-17 hypersonic missile so formidable? According to publicly available data, the DF-17 is the world’s first operational hypersonic missile equipped with a waverider warhead. With a maximum range of 1,800 to 2,500 kilometers and flight speeds exceeding 10 Mach, it can glide within the atmosphere and alter course mid-flight—greatly increasing the difficulty of anti-missile interception.

Hypersonic speed, waverider warhead, flight speed over 10 Mach, atmospheric glide, and trajectory changes—these features made the DF-17 a sensation when it was first publicly unveiled during the 70th Anniversary National Day Parade in 2019. Western media quickly expressed alarm, describing it as a "fearsome new missile" capable of countering U.S. capabilities and challenging the U.S.-Japan regional missile defense system.

The image of a launch vehicle erecting and firing directly from a roadside carries significant meaning. It emphasizes field deployment, complex electromagnetic environments, multi-wave coordinated operations, and "non-dependent" survivability. This indicates that the missile has completed the transition from "cutting-edge weapon → mass production and deployment → combat readiness cycle"—no longer relying on secrecy for security. In other words, this is not about boasting how fast the warhead is, but rather declaring that the reliability and survivability of the entire strike chain have become routine training standards.

Meanwhile, another segment on CCTV’s “Military Time” showed joint multi-service drills conducted by the Rocket Force in remote deserts of northwestern China, where several new-generation missiles—including the DF-26—were raised and prepared for launch. The DF-26 medium-range missile, dubbed the "Guam Killer," has a range capable of covering Guam—the core strategic hub of U.S. operations in the Western Pacific—and can also target moving maritime vessels.

An alternative claim suggests that an upgraded version, the DF-27, may already be in mass service. The DF-27 is reportedly also equipped with a waverider warhead, with a maximum range of approximately 8,000 kilometers—falling into the intercontinental missile category—capable of reaching the Second Island Chain and U.S. military bases on Guam.

China’s message is clear: you, the U.S., have escalated the scale of RIMPAC to unprecedented levels—so our counter logic is simple: you showcase "allied deployment power," and we’ll ensure you see, during your exercise window, the vulnerability of your Western Pacific strategic hubs and mobile task forces.

How should we interpret these three PLA actions? According to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao, the PLA Strategic Missile Force will mark its 60th founding anniversary on July 1. The public display of the DF-17 at this moment, following equipment iteration logic, typically signals preparation for the introduction of next-generation weapons.

However, when viewed collectively, these three actions constitute a layered, progressive strategic warning: China is transforming the credibility of its "Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)" strategy—from a mere statement in white papers into a reality that foreign military planners must repeatedly recalibrate and seriously consider.

Based on the PLA’s pattern of revealing new equipment, the public debut of current frontline hypersonic weapons signifies that the next generation of strategic strike systems has completed technological iteration and combat readiness buildup. This reflects China’s continuous advancement in indigenous defense technology and strategic deterrence capabilities.

Overall, these three actions are restrained yet highly impactful—neither provoking confrontation nor showing weakness. They serve to deter external powers’ geopolitical encirclement ambitions while demonstrating China’s firm resolve to safeguard sovereignty and maintain strategic initiative in the Western Pacific, thereby strengthening the strategic foundation for regional peace and stability.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868662437220360/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s).