Chinese strategic nuclear missiles touch American military nerves

According to a report by the American Defense News Weekly on July 10, China will officially deploy the "Dongfeng-31A" (DF-31A) intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of up to about 7,000 miles in 2007. China's missile forces have always drawn attention from many American military experts, and the deployment of this long-range ballistic missile, which has a range covering Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, and can carry nuclear warheads, has made them more concerned that the strength of China's strategic nuclear forces is rapidly increasing, possibly damaging the strategic balance in Asia, undermining international efforts for nuclear non-proliferation, and further threatening U.S. interests in Asia.

In response to the concerns of some American military experts, Taylor Fravel, an expert on Chinese issues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), also saw positive developments. "From the history of China's missile development, this is indeed an important advancement," Fravel said to the Washington Observer Weekly, "but from the perspective of the nuclear relationship between China and the United States, it has not changed the nuclear balance between the two sides; after all, the U.S. still has far more nuclear missiles than China." From the perspective of deterrence, China's nuclear counterattack capability has increased. Optimistically speaking, the probability of a nuclear war occurring between China and the U.S. has also decreased, leading to a more stable nuclear relationship between the two countries."

Enhancement of China's Nuclear "Second Strike" Capability

"The most important modernization effort of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force is undoubtedly the development of the 'Dongfeng-31A,'" said Richard Fisher III, an expert on Chinese security issues at the International Assessment and Strategy Center in Washington, "This missile is a solid-fuel space launch vehicle (SLV) capable of carrying up to three warheads."

Fisher believes that the DF-31 ballistic missile not only has road and rail mobility but is also difficult to detect by enemy reconnaissance, making it easy to load, unload, and launch. Fisher made these statements during a seminar on China's missile capabilities held by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a right-wing think tank in the United States, on July 11, 2006. He emphasized that in recent years, the PLA has actively developed small nuclear warheads, missile decoys, and increased missile mobility for long-range missiles.