On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded to reports that China had developed nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles by saying the Biden administration “welcomes stiff competition.”
“Can you comment on reports that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile over the summer? To the surprise of U.S. officials. Are these accurate? And do these raise concerns about China’s nuclear capability?” A reporter asked.
“Well I know General, Secretary Austin, I should say, was asked this question this morning and addressed it,” Psaki responded. “But I’m not going to comment on the specific report. I can say and would echo what he said, which is generally speaking, we’ve made clear, are concerned about the military capabilities that the PRC continues to pursue. And we have been consistent in our approach with China. We welcome stiff competition, but we do not want that competition to veer into conflict. And that is certainly what we convey privately as well.”
Asked by @AP's @AJJaffe on China's space nukes, Jen Psaki says she won't be "comment[ing] on the specific report," but claims the U.S. "welcome[s] stiff competition" from China though they "do not want that competition to veer into conflict." pic.twitter.com/qERh76FmGp
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 18, 2021
The question was asked over a weekend report from the Financial Times that warned China had tested an advanced nuclear-capable weapon that shocked U.S. intelligence.
The Financial Times reported, “China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before speeding towards its target, demonstrating an advanced space capability that caught US intelligence by surprise. Five people familiar with the test said the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle which flew through low-orbit space before cruising down towards its target.”
“The missile missed its target by about two-dozen miles, according to three people briefed on the intelligence,” the Financial Times added. “But two said the test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than US officials realized. The test has raised new questions about why the US often underestimated China’s military modernization.”
