China's new weaponry sends message of deterrence to broad audience
China’s Wednesday parade (September 3), its biggest to date, displayed a wide array of advanced military systems, from nuclear-capable missiles with near-global reach to air-defence lasers, hypersonic weapons, and swarms of sea drones, sending a strong signal of military strength and deterrence.
Experts say the parade was aimed at multiple audiences: the US and its allies, neighbouring countries, regional powers such as India and Russia, and potential buyers of Chinese defence technology.
“For all the operational uncertainties around some of these new systems, China is signalling technological progress and multi-domain capability. There’s a lot for rival defence planners to consider,” said Alexander Neill, a Singapore-based security analyst.
James Char, a China defence specialist at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noted that the variety of new weapons emphasised China’s intent to dominate its near seas in any confrontation with the US.
“The combination of sea drones and missiles could create zones that external navies would struggle to enter in a crisis,” Char explained.
Highlights included torpedo-shaped sea drones and a range of hypersonic weapons launchable from land, sea, and air, posing a potential challenge to the US and its allies, especially alongside China’s expanding DF-26 medium-range ballistic missile arsenal capable of striking ships and bases, including Guam.
Despite the parade’s impressive display of precision and discipline, analysts caution that the actual operational readiness of these systems remains uncertain.
Control over the South and East China seas would be critical for China in any Taiwan-related conflict—a complex challenge given the US Navy’s longstanding dominance in the region.
Reuters
