China unveils new military weapon systems during V-Day parade

China declassified on Wednesday several new types of strategically significant weapon systems, including the nuclear-capable DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of striking any part of the Earth.

Upholding a longstanding practice that has been observed in previous parades, the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force unveiled its new strike missiles near the end of a head-turning parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Eight types of ballistic missiles paraded down Chang'an Avenue in central Beijing, including the YJ-21 supersonic ballistic missile, the DF-17 medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile, the DF-26D intermediate-range ballistic missile, the JL-3 submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile, the JL-1 air-launched ballistic missile, as well as the land-based DF-31BJ, DF-61 and DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Each missile designation carries a specific meaning in Chinese: YJ stands for Yingji, or Eagle Strike; DF, the popularly abbreviated name for Dongfeng, or East Wind; JL for Julang, or Massive Wave in the case of submarine-launched missiles; and JL for Jinglei, or Shocking Thunderclap for air-launched missiles.

Among them, the JL-3, JL-1, DF-26D, DF-31BJ, DF-61 and DF-5C had previously been classified. Their joint debut indicates China's establishment of its nuclear triad, a reliable nuclear deterrence system with land-, sea- and air-based nuclear retaliation capabilities. This fills a previous gap in China's nuclear arsenal, as the Chinese military lacked a usable air-based nuclear weapon.

In addition to these strategic missiles, the parade showcased the CJ-1000 vehicle-mounted supersonic cruise missile, the YJ-18C ship-launched cruise missile, and the YJ-21 air-launched ballistic missile, demonstrating the PLA's enhanced capability for long-range precision assaults from various dimensions.

Four new types of hypersonic strike missiles — YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20 — were also displayed, highlighting the Navy's ability to carry out ultrafast, long-distance precision strikes on hostile ships and land targets, according to the PLA.