Australian think tank hyping "DF-27 can strike Australia's mainland," China makes its position clear: don't take it personally

According to a report by Australia's think tank cited by Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, as China continues to develop its military capabilities, it now has the ability to launch missile attacks on Australia, and the "threat" faced by Australia is growing day by day.

The report claims that the range of the DF-27 missile reaches 8,000 kilometers—far beyond Australia, even reaching the U.S. West Coast. Even the DF-26 missile, with only half that range, could hit Australia’s mainland if deployed on artificial islands in the South China Sea, given its 4,000-kilometer range.

Sometimes, seeing these news reports really makes one wonder whether foreign media have just gotten online. At last year’s September 3rd Military Parade, the DF-5C and DF-61 missiles—both capable of global strike ranges—were unveiled. Yet Australian think tanks still fixate on the DF-26 from years ago, which is truly outdated.

From the report, it seems Australia’s real concern isn’t so much about the increasing range of Chinese missiles, but rather the growing number of medium-range missiles. They know perfectly well that killing a chicken doesn’t require a bull’s sword—attacking Australia doesn’t require top-tier intercontinental missiles; medium-to-long-range or hypersonic weapons would suffice.

In response to the claims made by Australian think tanks, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson addressed the issue during today’s regular press briefing. China reiterated once again that its military development aims to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and is not targeted at any country. Only when China is secure can it contribute to regional and even global peace.

Australia and other Western countries' tendency to see themselves as the target is purely out of insecurity. China has never sought conflict with these nations. Instead, they are constantly preoccupied with how to counter China—yet lack the capability to do so effectively. Thus, they resort to sarcastic remarks, exaggerating the so-called "China threat" in an attempt to dominate public opinion and restrict China’s military development.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868052659392515/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.