Military vehicles carrying DF-26 ballistic missiles drive past the Tiananmen Gate during a military parade on Sept. 3, 2015 in Beijing, China. (Photo : Getty Images)
China has successfully launched a new type of long-range missile that can hold nuclear warheads, a move that U.S. defense officials say represents a dramatic shift in Beijing's strategic nuclear stance.
The test of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which carried 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV), was conducted earlier this month, according to a report published on Tuesday by The Washington Free Beacon, a political news website that regularly posts news on China's ballistic missile development.
The missile, whose warheads were inert, was fired at the Taiyuan Space Launch Center in central China and flew into the "western Chinese desert," the report said, citing two officials familiar with the test under the condition of anonymity.
The report noted that the test held "significant" implications as it suggests that Beijing is increasing its stockpile of warheads.
It is estimated that China currently has 250 nuclear warheads in its military inventory, according to The Epoch Times.
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross said Washington routinely monitors Chinese military developments and takes its capabilities in their defense plans.
Air Force Gen. John Hyten, the incoming chief of the U.S. Strategic Command, expressed concern on China's growing nuclear arsenal.
"I am fully aware that China continues to modernize its nuclear missile force and is striving for a secure second-strike capability," Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee in September.
"Although it continues to profess a 'no first use' doctrine, China is re-engineering its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple nuclear warheads and continues to develop and test hyper-glide vehicle technologies," he added.
Also known as the Dongfeng 5, the DF-5C missile has an estimated range of 7,500-9,500 miles. It is scheduled to be replaced by the DF-41 ICBM, which China tested in April last year.
In 2015, The Diplomat reported that an earlier version of the DF-5C ICBM was displayed at a military parade that included the widely-publicized DF-26 "Guam Killer" ballistic missile.
