China to Unveil New Missiles At National Day Parade AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 2 Sep 2009 05:43
BEIJING - China will unveil a range of previously unknown missiles during its National Day parade Oct. 1, including intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles, state media said Sept. 2.
New hardware on display also will include conventional cruise missiles, and both short- and medium-range missiles, the Global Times newspaper reported, citing an unnamed People's Liberation Army source.
"These missiles are domestically designed and manufactured and have never been officially reported before," the source, who is with the PLA's strategic missile defense unit, was quoted as saying.
The weapons have already been distributed to the military and are ready for operation, the source said.
China's missile development program has caused concern overseas, particularly in the United States, amid projections that it could soon tip the security balance in the Taiwan Strait.
An August report by the Rand Corporation, a U.S. think-tank, said China was increasing both the quantity and quality of its short-range ballistic missiles, which could challenge the United States' ability to protect Taiwan from possible attack.
China also caused alarm overseas in 2007 when it successfully tested an anti-satellite missile, raising fears of a space arms race.
China issued a military policy white paper earlier this year, saying its missile program was aimed mainly at "deterrence." However, it added it was also capable of "conducting nuclear counter-attacks and precision strikes with conventional missiles."
hina will stage a huge military parade and pageant Oct. 1 in Beijing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of communist China.
The parades, held every 10 years, typically showcase new-generation weapons systems and are closely scrutinized by both domestic and foreign military watchers for clues about Chinese development trends. The expert quoted by the Global Times did not reveal the model names or numbers of the missiles.
ssiles believed to have been developed by China include the Dongfeng 41, a solid-fuel ICBM with an estimated range of up to 7,500 miles (12,000 kilometers). The missile would be China's longest-range ICBM, according to U.S.-based GlobalSecurity.org, a leading independent source of military information.
