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China Testing Missile Defense System

Posted March. 28, 2006 08:25,   

한국어

A People’s Liberation Army’s bulletin in China reported Sunday that China succeeded in test launching an interceptor missile similar to the U.S. Patriot missile.

According to the paper, an air force base in Beijing recently test launched a new interceptor missile from a desert in northwestern China, successfully bringing down its target.

The test launch was carried out by the radar command control center, detecting a high-flying reconnaissance plane and a missile thousands of meters in the air, penetrating electronic disruption, and taking both of them down.

The Chinese military, with the success of the launch, plans to build a missile defense (MD) network similar to that of the U.S.

So far, China has criticized the U.S. MD system as disruptive of the international security order and provoking reckless military spending competition. However, China seems to have started research and development of interceptor missiles as the U.S. accelerates battle deployment in the Northeast Asian region, including Korea.

The commanding officer who led the test launch said, “This marks the official launch of the interceptor missile unit. We can intercept not only high-flying reconnaissance planes or missiles but also low-flying targets. Our accuracy is significantly high as well.”

Meanwhile, a Hong Kong newspaper reported that Chinese missile units have held mobile training aimed at taking down targets in a short time in the eastern coast and the desert.



Yoo-Seong Hwang yshwang@donga.com