Balance of Power: Surprise China Missile Test
Balance of Power: Surprise China Missile Test
APARC Center Fellow Oriana Skylar Mastro shares insights about China's hypersonic missile capabilities, and the implications of further military buildup.
China's hypersonic missile test signals that it "no longer feels deterred by the presence of the U.S. military in Asia and therefore we can expect a much more aggressive and difficult China in future years," said Center Fellow Oriana Skylar Mastro in conversation with Bloomberg's David Westin.
"This is hugely significant, from the very specifics of the ability of the United States to protect the homeland against nuclear attack, to the broader great power competition in tech. China now has the ability not only to deliver a nuclear weapon to the United States, but because this vehicle flies lower and is more maneuverable it can evade any missile defenses that the United States has," she said.
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Mastro describes Chinese military technology advancements, and their implications for the United States and the broader arena of technological development. "The Chinese have been far more advanced in some technologies, like this hypersonic boost vehicle that they tested, and other areas like artificial intelligence and quantum computing. These are areas where the Chinese government has invested a lot of resources," said Mastro.
In the intervew, Mastro and Westin also discuss the shifting threat perception of NATO, and the potential impact that a broadening of its strategic mission might entail for Chinese military ambitions.
