China conducts missile intercept test

China has successfully tested anti-missile technology designed to shoot down incoming missiles in mid-air.  The announcement comes hot on the heels of an American decision to sell advanced Patriot anti-missile systems to neighbouring Taiwan.

The Hong Qi-9 (HQ-9) long-range, all-altitude, all-weather surface-to-air missile system, a copy of the Russian S-300PMU

"China conducted a test on ground-based midcourse missile interception technology within its territory. The test has achieved the expected objective," said a three-sentence statement by Xinhua. "The test is defensive in nature and is not targeted at any country," it added.

The Pentagon said it had not received prior notification of the test but confirmed that the test indeed had taken place and that it was seeking more information.

"We detected two geographically separated missile launch events with an exo-atmospheric collision also being observed by space-based sensors," said Major Maureen Schumann, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

"We are requesting information from China regarding the purpose for conducting this interception as well as China's intentions and plans to pursue future types of intercepts."

Chinese military experts have claimed the test as a "breakthrough" for the country's armed forces that have been receiving unprecedented amounts of funding over the decades. 

A senior Chinese military strategist for missile studies was quoted in the Chinese media as saying that the test ushered China into a "new phase" in terms of missile interception technologies.

"Compared with a previous test of anti-satellite technologies, the missile interception system is more advanced as the targets are moving objects and the satellite was flying within a pre-planned orbit."