• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Chinese military affairs expert explains significance of DF-5C's global-covering range

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun, Fan Wei and Liang Rui Published: Sep 03, 2025 02:39 PM

The new-type DF-5C liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missile made its debut at China's V-day military parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Military affairs expert Shao Yongling explained to the Global Times the profound significance of China possessing such a type of intercontinental strategic missile that has a strike range covering the entire globe.

"It is of a very significant importance that the strike range of the new-type liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missile can cover the entire globe," Shao said, adding that the global coverage of the strike range highlights the fact that China's ballistic missile can cover any place that requires a nuclear counterattack.

Shao further noted that considering China's vast territory and possession of intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles with a global range, it means that any location within the country can be chosen as a launch site, making the launch position more flexible and not limited to deploying intercontinental missiles in specific directions. This increases the unpredictability of missile launch sites and the suddenness of nuclear counterattacks, the expert said.

In addition, Shao believes that global range coverage also means that trajectory choices can be more flexible. "At present, land-based mid-course ballistic missile interception systems are mainly deployed to defend against intercontinental ballistic missiles flying over the Arctic. An intercontinental strategic nuclear missile with a global range can choose more flexible flight routes to carry out strikes, avoid heavily defended areas by antiballistic missile systems, and choose flight routes that are easier to penetrate. The global range also means that trajectory choices can be more diverse," said Shao.