For years, China complained about the development and deployment of American missile defenses, a capability that Beijing didn’t have and claimed would undermine strategic stability and security in Asia.
It’s funny how you don’t hear Beijing protesting about the development and deployment of U.S. missile defenses anymore now that China itself is developing and deploying missile defense systems.
Talk about hypocrisy.
It is curious, though, that there was no mention of how a Chinese missile defense system possibly would undermine stability and security in Asia like an American system was supposed to do.
Actually, it’s not curious at all.
As you may know, a midcourse missile defense system is designed to destroy intermediate-range and longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles as they fly through space to a terrestrial target.
To intercept a high-speed missile in flight high above Earth is technologically challenging. Indeed, this significant engineering feat has been likened over the years to “shooting a bullet with a bullet in space.”
Imagine.
The U.S. missile defense system is currently capable of defending against an accidental launch or limited strike, such as from North Korea, but is unable to manage a larger missile attack originating from China’s or Russia’s nuclear forces.
Like the United States, China likely is developing a layered missile defense system that will cover a range of threats. This, of course, comes on top of China’s work to vastly increase the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal.
With Beijing unwilling to discuss its strategic offensive and defensive programs with Washington, the only course available to America is to enhance its own strategic deterrence, nuclear strike capabilities, and missile defenses against the growing threat from China.
Failing to take action now on these pressing strategic offensive and defensive issues unquestionably will have unpleasant consequences for U.S. global interests at the hands of an increasingly aggressive China.