Beijing, Sept. 6: China is close to deploying its new super-weapon, “carrier-killer” missiles, which they say would be used to counter balance US naval supremacy in the Pacific.
“The anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBP) is close to becoming operational,” the Global Times said, warning that Beijing would not allow foreign aircraft carriers near its waters.
The claims by the official Chinese media of the missiles on the verge of being made operational comes as a top US naval commander in the Pacific has said that Beijing has undertaken repeated tests of the missiles, and is probably close to making them operational.
“China undoubtedly needs to build highly credible anti-carrier capability,” the Global Times, an organ of the People’s Daily, said in an editorial.
Claiming that the missiles were a deterrent to US aircraft carrier-led battle groups operating in the Pacific Ocean, the paper said, for this “not only does China need anti-ship ballistic missiles but also other carrier killing measures.”
Last week, US Pacific Commander Admiral Robert Willard had said in Tokyo that China was close to deploying these missiles, but asserted that this would not deter the US to navigate in international waters close to China.
US military experts said that the long feared weapon was a new version of its Dongfeng 21 missiles that can pierce through the defences of even the most sturdy US naval vessels.
“These missiles have a range of 20,000 kms — a capability to strike targets far beyond Chinese waters,” US Naval commanders have warned.
“For quiet sometime the intelligence agencies in the US and other Western countries have conjectured over China’s anti-ship missile capacity.
“China ought to convince the international community of its reliable carrier killing capacity as soon as possible to end the speculation,” the paper said.
The mainland media has also reported that a new base in Shaoguan in northern Guangdong is being developed by the PLA’s Second Artillery ballistic missile brigade, sparking speculation that these new missiles could be based there, putting the entire disputed South China sea in their range.
In a recent report submitted to the Congress, the Pentagon has said that China has made a string of double digit hikes in its military spending to build new range of nuclear weapons, long range missiles, submarines, aircraft carriers and cyber warfare system.