China declares successful test of land-based missile-interception system

China has successfully tested a land-based missile interception system, the Defense Ministry said, describing it as defensive.

The ministry said in a statement the "ground-based midcourse anti-missile intercept technology" test was carried out Sunday night.

"The test reached its expected goals," the ministry noted. "This test was defensive and not aimed at any country."

Beijing has tested missile interceptors before, more recently in February 2021, and before that in 2018. 

The country has significantly ramped up its missile activities, from projectiles that can destroy satellites in space to advanced nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, as part of a modernization drive spearheaded by President Xi Jinping.

The latest test comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington and the former's repeated opposition to the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea.

China maintains that the equipment’s powerful radar could penetrate into its territory. China and Russia have also held simulated anti-missile drills.

China’s defense ministry had back in 2016 confirmed that it was pressing ahead with its anti-missile system tests after images appeared on state television.

It said such technology was needed for national defense and security.

China’s test of the missile interception system came days after the self-ruled Chinese Taipei boasted that it had developed supersonic cruise missiles capable of striking Beijing.

SS