China hypersonic test ‘very concerning’ says US general Mark Milley

CNN — The top US general said China’s test of a hypersonic weapon over the summer was “very concerning” and that “it has all of our attention.” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, speaking to Bloomberg Television, stopped short of calling the test a “Sputnik moment” but he did acknowledge “it’s very close to that.” He called the test of the weapon “a very significant technological event” that is just one element of China’s military capabilities. When asked about the Financial Times report, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the August test was “a spacecraft, not a missile.” “This test was a routine spacecraft experiment to verify the reusable technology of spacecraft, which is of great significance for reducing the cost of spacecraft use. “Sharing threat analysis well before final requirements are published so companies can digitally engineer and test capabilities rapidly, ultimately delivering crucial, new advantages in space in months rather than years.” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has repeatedly emphasized that China is the pacing challenge for the Pentagon as Beijing races to modernize its military. He said the department has been “clear” about its concerns regarding China’s advancements in “certain capabilities.” “We’ve been very clear about our concerns over China’s advancements in certain capabilities, a wide range of capabilities, capabilities that the secretary noted himself do very little to help decrease tensions in the region and beyond, and they’re paired with, these advance military capabilities are paired with a foreign and defense policy approach that uses intimidation and coercion of neighboring nations to yield to China’s interests,” Kirby said.