China’s Global Times said that this “land-based, mid-course antiballistic missile (ABM) technical test” was done on Sunday, “with analysts saying the successful interception proved the reliability of the country's antiballistic missile umbrella at a time when technologies on both ballistic missiles and antiballistic missile interceptors are improving.”
This is important because Beijing is trying to showcase its military capabilities and the expansion of its defense systems. China recently launched another aircraft carrier, named Fujian, the third it has put to sea. China will soon be one of the world’s naval leaders, in terms of size, tonnage and abilities of its ships.
Aircraft carriers are all about projecting power globally, which is part of the transformation of Beijing into a global power from being a regional one. All the charts and data already point to this reality, since the giant Asian country's economy is massive and growing. China is also a leader in CO2 emissions, making it a polluter as well; and those emissions are still growing.
Western countries are concerned; recent incidents between China, the US, Canada and Australia illustrate the tensions. Australia recently accused China of intercepting one of its warplanes. Canada made similar accusations. Beijing has warned Washington about its “dangerous” Taiwan policy. All of this marks a very assertive turn for China. READ MORE
