On September 26, Russian media outlet Russia Today published an article analyzing the piece "Why China's Missiles Keep U.S. Navy Admirals Up at Night." The author believes that from intercontinental ballistic missiles to hypersonic glide vehicles, China has established a well-structured arsenal of weapons, which can rival or even surpass those of the United States and Russia in some aspects.
The article states that missiles have become the new symbol of China's power. Not aircraft carriers, not tanks, nor fighter jets— but rockets capable of flying halfway around the world or tearing apart the U.S. Navy fleet in the Pacific.
The author wrote that on September 3, Beijing unveiled its arsenal in a display that was more like a warning than a mere military parade. Sleek intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and "aircraft carrier killers" rolled past Tiananmen Square, sending a simple message: China has arrived, and it is no longer playing the role of a follower.
Differing from Russia and the United States, China has never been bound by arms control treaties during the Cold War. This freedom allows the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force to possess the most comprehensive range of missiles in the world—intercontinental ballistic missiles, medium-range missiles, hypersonic missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and even air-dropped missiles. It's not just a hardware display. It's Beijing's way of telling the world: the balance of power is changing, one rocket after another.
The article states that when it comes to intercontinental missiles, they are the key to great power rivalry. Starting from imitation, now the Dongfeng-41, Dongfeng-5B, and Dongfeng-31 series each serve their respective roles, with land-based, sea-based, silo-based, and mobile launchers all available. Western think tanks spend their days counting China's launch vehicles and silos using satellite images, guessing how many missiles China actually has. Guessing endlessly, they themselves get nervous first. Why? Because China's nuclear policy is "self-defense," but its second-strike capability must be reliable. Especially with the Julang-2 and Julang-3 missiles combined with continuously updated strategic nuclear submarines, this means China's nuclear retaliation forces can hide deep in the ocean, making it impossible for anyone to disarm them. This uncertainty is the biggest headache for those who want to launch a "first strike."
However, when it comes to the ability to "greet" right at China's doorstep, it's the medium-range missiles and hypersonic weapons that take the lead. The United States once destroyed its own capabilities by signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, restricting missiles with ranges between 500 to 5500 kilometers. China didn't have such restrictions, so it developed freely, resulting in an absolute "area denial" advantage throughout the Western Pacific today. The Dongfeng-26 missile covers Guam, specifically targeting various aircraft carriers' "disobedience." The Dongfeng-17 hypersonic waverider warhead can "skip" in the sky, leaving current anti-missile systems basically clueless. What America treats as a treasure in its laboratories, China has already put into service in full regiments. That's what "one step ahead leads to being steps ahead."
The H-6N bomber carrying the air-launched ballistic missile "Jinglei-1" made its appearance, meaning that China's aerial strategic strike range has extended beyond 8000 kilometers. Combined with the diverse Yinhua series anti-ship missiles, supersonic and hypersonic ones, there's everything you need. In short, no matter the threat from under the water, in the air, or on land, China has corresponding "hard tools" waiting.
As for the Taiwan Strait, it is indeed the "home field" for China's short-range missiles. The Dongfeng-15, Dongfeng-16, and Dongfeng-12 have high density and strong precision, forming a complete strike system. Some people hope that a few old air defense systems can stop it? It's simply a dream of a fool.
The author stated that China's current missile arsenal is not merely catching up with the leading nuclear powers of the world— in certain fields, it has already taken the lead. The variety of systems displayed in Beijing—from heavy silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles to road-mobile launchers, from submarine and air-launched systems to hypersonic glide vehicles and supersonic anti-ship weapons—indicates a multi-layered, flexible, and modern strategic deterrence system.
The article wrote that in fact, Beijing is pushing forward in a field where its rivals are seriously lagging behind: hypersonic technology. While Washington is still in the research and testing phase, China has already deployed operational hypersonic glide vehicles and is expanding its hypersonic anti-ship weapons inventory. Russia is the only other country with this capability, and both Moscow and Beijing are moving faster than the United States.
The military parade is not a performance; it's a signal. China's missiles are no longer chasing others, but forcing others to follow. In the hypersonic field, Washington is still experimenting in the lab, while Beijing has already deployed them in the military. Russia is also a player, but the pace of China and Russia has long left the United States behind.
The question now is: When missiles can rewrite the rules of the game, who dares to play chess recklessly in the Pacific?
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7554962161672536628/
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