China has displayed its military might as the country celebrates the Lunar New Year.
CCTV News, the state television station, broadcast a short clip last week showcasing China's Rocket Force, a part the People's Liberation Army (PLA) which handles the country's growing missile arsenal, reported the People's Daily Online.
In the clip, PLA soldiers at the Rocket Force sent New Year wishes to the public in front of six DF-15 ballistic missiles, which have been dubbed the country's 'secret weapon' by Chinese media.
The Rocket Force appeared in a programme broadcast on CCTV 7, a channel dedicated to showing military and agricultural content.
The soldiers stood in a rectangular formation and held a banner which read: 'Officers and men from the Rocket Force wish people around the country a happy New Year.'
Six military trucks were parked behind the troop and six white missiles were erected behind the trucks.
The weapons have been identified as the DF-15B short-range missiles by various Chinese media, including Beijing Daily.
According to the report, the DF-15B missile is an improved version of the original DF-15 missile and debuted in 2009 during the military parade to celebrate China's 60th National Day.
The missile can reportedly travel at the speed of 2,000 metres (1.4 miles) per second and its striking accuracy is within 30 metres (98 feet).
Yangtze Evening News, a major evening newspaper in eastern China, billed DF-15B as the country's 'secret weapon'.
The report, written in 2015, suggested that the DF-15B is the type of missile that Chinese PLA holds the most in number.
The article said 'should anything happens between the two sides of Taiwan Strait', it would be the main weapon to strike the 'important targets in Taiwan'.
DF-15B's firing range is between 900-1,200 kilometres (560-745 miles), said China.com.
China's PLA Rocket Force was founded on January 1, 2016. It was renamed from the former Second Artillery Corps in the two million strong membership of the PLA.
In December, the CCTV News broadcast another clip featuring the PLA Rocket Force, which showed the military drills the troop had carried out in its founding year.
The PLA Rocket Force was founded on January 1, 2016. Pictured, Chinese President Xi Jinping conferred the military flag to Li Zuocheng, commander of the PLA, at the founding ceremony of the Rocket Force
Li Zhenglian, a brigade commander of the Rocket Force, told the CCTV News reporter: 'As long as there is an order, I am ready to bring out [soldiers] at any time, I can fire [missiles] at any time and I can strike [targets] accurately.'
The news report introduced one particular set of drills the Rocket Force had had at the beginning of 2016. The force was said to be divided into two sides, the Blue Team and the Red Team, and staged more than 10 rounds of mock battles.
On its inauguration ceremony, the Chinese President Xi Jinping said the move to form the Rocket Force was a major decision made to 'realise the Chinese dream of a strong military', reported People's Daily Online.
The decision was also a 'strategic step to establish a modern military system with Chinese characteristics', said President Xi.
According to Global People magazine, the DF missiles are the first series of missiles completely built by the Chinese people and is the country's main weapon for national defence.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4184570/China-showcases-mighty-ballistic-missile-force.html#ixzz4Xa9925sJ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét