China says mid
Sam Roggeveen
Given the description  Monday's test was likely to be of the SC-19 system that was believed to have been used in knocking out a Chinese satellite in a 2007 test  said  Sam Roggeveen  a senior fellow with the Sydney-based Lowy Institute international policy  think tank.
However  the exercise may not have included an actual interception utilizing the missile's kill vehicle  but might have simply been a test of the missile's booster   Roggeveen  said.  He  also warned against assuming that the test was aimed at the U.S.  pointing instead to other regional players.
"This missile system is designed to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles  and Washington does not deploy those in the Asia-Pacific " Roggeveen said. "On the other hand  both North Korea and India do have such missiles  so this test is more about them "  he  said.
The ability to independently manufacture advanced armaments  including stealth fighters  aircraft carriers and missile defense systems  is key to China's rise as a global military power   Roggeveen  said.
Given the description  Monday's test was likely to be of the SC-19 system that was believed to have been used in knocking out a Chinese satellite in a 2007 test  said   [TGT] think tank.
However  the exercise may not have included an actual interception utilizing the missile's kill vehicle  but might have simply been a test of the missile's booster   Roggeveen  said.   [TGT]   also warned against assuming that the test was aimed at the U.S.  pointing instead to other regional players.
"This missile system is designed to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles  and Washington does not deploy those in the Asia-Pacific " Roggeveen said. "On the other hand  both North Korea and India do have such missiles  so this test is more about them "  he  said.
The ability to independently manufacture advanced armaments  including stealth fighters  aircraft carriers and missile defense systems  is key to China's rise as a global military power   Roggeveen  said.