Monday, October 18, 2021
After report on rocket launch
China confirms test with “spaceship”
Countries like the USA and Russia are working on new hypersonic weapons. A report that the Chinese have sent a nuclear weapon-grade projectile into orbit causes a stir and surprise. Beijing is now commenting on its technological development.
China claims to have tested a new spacecraft with reusable technology. When asked by journalists about a Financial Times report on an alleged attempt in August with a nuclear-weaponized hypersonic missile, State Department spokesman Zhao Lijian said, “It was a spaceship, not a missile.”
He spoke of a “routine test”. It was about using technology again. This is important in space travel in order to reduce costs. “Many other countries and companies are doing similar tests.” Remains of the spaceship fell into the East China Sea. The spokesman did not give any further details.
The “Financial Times” had reported, citing five anonymous sources, that the “rocket” had circled the globe once in low orbit before it missed its target by about 15 kilometers. It was taken as evidence that China’s military was far more advanced with its hypersonic weapons program than US intelligence agencies had previously assumed. Hypersonic weapons are particularly difficult to intercept because they can reach more than five times the speed of sound. Both the US and Russia are currently working on hypersonic missiles. North Korea also stated that it tested a hypersonic missile in September.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin did not want to comment directly on the reported incident when asked. “What I can tell you is that we are closely monitoring China’s development of weapons, advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tension in the region,” Austin said on the sidelines of a visit to Georgia. The UN refused to comment on the particular case, but expressed “very concerned about the lack of progress we have seen on disarmament issues around the world.”
A member of the US Congress, Mike Gallagher, interpreted the report as a wake-up call. “This test should serve as a call to action,” said the Republican. “If we stick to our current inactive course, (…) we will lose the New Cold War with communist China within this decade.” According to Gallagher, China has increasing capabilities to undermine the US missile defense and even to threaten it with nuclear strikes. The Republican represents the US state of Wisconsin in the House of Representatives and sits on the important committee on the US armed forces.