DF-17 conventional ballistic missiles were displayed at the event in Tiananmen Square.
The DF-17 is a very recently developed type of short to medium-range missile.
It will play a vital role in safeguarding China's territorial integrity, as regions including the South China Sea, the Taiwan Straits and Northeast Asia are all within its striking range, Yang Chengjun, a Chinese missile expert and quantum defense scientist, told the Global Times, noting that South Korea has been deploying the THAAD air defense system and Japan is fielding SM-3 interceptor missiles, which are security threats to China.
The DF-17 missile features a hypersonic glide vehicle as its warhead, which can travel at 10 times the speed of sound, UK-based media outlet Daily Mail reported in June.
The very high speed leaves enemies with little time to react, military observers noted.
Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, the DF-17 can change its trajectory in mid-flight, giving enemies a minimal chance of intercepting it, Yang said.
If hostile air defense systems like THAAD, SM-3 and Patriot get the chance to capture the DF-17's launch and prepare for its arrival in advance, there is some possibility of interception, but this rarely happens since a launch in actual combat will be done secretly, Yang said.
Other countries have also been developing hypersonic weapons, like the US AGM-183A and Russian Avangard missiles.
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