China says its tested hypersonic vehicle 'not missile'

Beijing: China on Monday said it recently tested a hypersonic vehicle and not a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile as reported by a leading British newspaper which also said that the missile missed its target by about two-dozen

miles.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before speeding towards its target, demonstrating an advanced space capability that caught US intelligence by surprise.

Five people familiar with the test said that the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle which flew through low-orbit space before cruising down towards its target, the FT report said.

The missile missed its target by about two-dozen miles, the report said, quoting three people who briefed it on the intelligence.

But two said the test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than US officials realised, according to the report.