The United States (US) has admitted for the first time that China has installed longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) on six of its nuclear-powered Jin-class submarines, which can strike the US from closer to its coast.
During a press conference on Friday, head of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Samuel Paparo revealed that six Jin-class submarines are currently “equipped with JL-3 intercontinental ballistic missiles,” with a range of about 10,000 kilometres (kms). “They were built to threaten the United States,” he asserted, adding, “We keep close track of those submarines.”
In its annual report on China’s military capabilities last November, the Department of Defense remarked that China would be able to strike the US from the South China Sea and Bohai Gulf. It also said that China’s first notable nuclear deterrent ICBM, JL-2, has a range of about 7,200 kms and could hit parts of Alaska from American waters near Hawaii.
Xi said openly in his report of 20th Congress of CPC that China would "build a strong strategic deterrent system", clearly he mean something.
— DaiWW (@BeijingDai) November 19, 2022
Americans should psychologically accept that China is a nuclear power at the same level as the US and Russia.
In fact, US Strategic Command Commander Admiral Charles Richard told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March that the JL-3 could strike the country “from a protected bastion within the South China Sea.” “They’re now capable of continuous at sea determined patrols with their Jin-class submarines” and “more are coming,” Richard divulged, adding, “They have a true nuclear command and control system.”
However, Chinese military experts have firmly denied the development, saying that the US has “ulterior motives” to gain more funds to effectively contain China and establish a stronger presence in the Asia-Pacific. Moreover, China has not yet officially announced the commissioning of the JL-3.
Chinese military expert Wei Dongxu told state-owned news outlet Global Times on Sunday that the US military wants to deploy additional anti-submarine forces to the West Pacific and develop its own fleet of advanced nuclear-powered submarines. Therefore, touting the “China threat” theory would enable the Pentagon to get additional funds, the analyst opined.
Wei also emphasised that China keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level and that its submarine-based nuclear forces are built to deter nuclear blackmail by other countries.
The JL-3 was first tested in June 2019 but a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said it was a routine test that was not aimed at any country or target. “China always adheres to a national defence policy that is defensive in nature and a military strategy of active defence. The development of weapons and equipment aim to serve the basic needs of safeguarding China’s national security,” noted Ren Guoqiang.
The US recently claimed China has fielded new sub-launched ballistic missiles that allow China to hit US from much closer to its own shores. Experts said the US speculation has ulterior motives which would see it gain more funds to enhance its capabilities.https://t.co/3zc5kqmmwA
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) November 20, 2022
Against this backdrop, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe will be attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Cambodia from Sunday to Thursday. Though no official bilateral meeting has been announced as yet, Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, said on Sunday, “The Chinese side holds a positive and open attitude toward exchanges with the US side during the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus,” adding that relevant teams “are maintaining communication and coordination.”
Apart from the latest reports about Chinese ICBMs, Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe, the director of the US Navy’s Strategic Systems program, told CNN last month that the US is also worried about China and Russia’s accelerated development of hypersonic missiles.
Beijing carried out two hypersonic weapons tests in July and August last year. According to a Financial Times report, the Chinese military’s advanced missile test is said to have supposedly “stunned” American military and intelligence officials. It further claimed that US scientists “were struggling to understand” the hypersonic weapon’s capability.
A hypersonic weapon can reach five times the speed of sound, or a speed of about 6,200 kms per hour, in the upper atmosphere.
In order to catch up with China and Russia, in July, the Pentagon announced that the US Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) had successfully tested two different hypersonic missiles.
Furthermore, in 2020, the US signed an agreement with Australia to jointly develop and test hypersonic cruise missiles.