By Razan Matar | Staff Writer
On Monday, October 18th of 2021, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian came out with a statement against recent allegations that were brought forward concerning China. “It was not a missile, it was a space vehicle,” Zhao Lijian stated.
China was reported to have tested nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles earlier this year. “The trail was witness to the nuclear-capable hypersonic missile circle around the globe at low orbit before cruising down towards its target which it missed by about 38km”. To understand this statement, we need basic knowledge of what hypersonic missiles are. These missiles are known to travel more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere with a speed of 6,200 km/h. They are slower than ballistic missiles- which are known to fly into outer space before coming back on steep trajectories at higher speeds. On the flip side, hypersonic missiles are maneuverable, making it harder for them to track and defend against, and just like ballistic missiles, they can carry a nuclear warhead.
Zhao Lijian denies those allegations. He states that this trial was a spacecraft check with a focus on reusable technology. According to him, it was a test done to “reduce the use-cost” of the spacecraft and to find a more affordable alternative to “make a round trip for mankind’s peaceful use of space”. Robert Wood, the U.S disarmament ambassador, was “very concerned” by this news. After all, China’s space program is run by the military, with close links and connections to the building of hypersonic missiles and other technologies which could prove to be detrimental to the United States.
Countries around the world are racing to match up with each other’s military strategies and weaponry technologies, with Russia and North Korea claiming that they have successfully test-launched hypersonic missiles. Germany, Japan, India, Australia, and France are following closely behind with developing these missiles as reported in August by the U.S Congressional Research Service. Regardless, China and the U.S are being placed head-to-head in this race with growing tensions since intelligence agencies were “unaware” about the missile tests taking place. In attempts to see what the other has in terms of quantity and effectiveness, sources close to Beijing revealed that it was ahead of the United States when it came to hypersonic weapons without being direct about the notion. Michael Shoebridge, the director of defense, strategy, and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy institute, explains that if a hypersonic were tested, it would fit perfectly into Beijing’s pattern of expanding capabilities without being transparent about the details, adding that the concept of transparency is foreign to Beijing. This leaves Washington on high alert, keeping a closer eye on Beijing and its progressions in the “military modernization programme” to analyze the risks it showcases to its competitor.