Known for its secretive nuclear weapons program, China has for the first time revealed key details of one of the country’s nuclear weapons.
In a rare gesture that has taken China watchers by surprise, China’s state broadcaster CCTV has released crucial details about one of the country’s premier nuclear-capable missile systems, the DF-5.
China’s nuclear program has traditionally been highly secretive, particularly regarding specific missile capabilities and deployments, and it was not clear why the information about the DF-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), was made public.
The timing of the disclosure is also interesting, as it comes just days after the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s largest defense and security forum.
Here, the US delivered a clear message: The Indo-Pacific is a top priority for the Trump administration amid what it sees as China’s aggressive posturing.
At the dialogue, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Asian allies to step up their defense in response to China’s military build-up near Taiwan.
Hegseth mentioned China more than 20 times in his first-ever speech at Shangri-La and issued a direct warning to Beijing.
“Any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. There’s no reason to sugarcoat it,” Hegseth said.
He also underlined that the US is serious about countering China’s rising influence in the West as well.
“We’re also increasing security in the Western Hemisphere and taking back the Panama Canal from malign Chinese influence. It is key terrain, after all. China did not build that canal. We did. And we will not allow China to weaponize it or control it,” he said.
The tone of Hegseth’s speech took many by surprise. China, certainly, was taken aback.
“If deterrence fails, and if called upon by my Commander in Chief, we are prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best – fight and win — decisively,” he said.
The public unveiling of DF-5 could be a response to Hegseth’s speech. The ICBM DF-5 has a range of 12,000 km and is capable of reaching the US mainland as well as Western European countries.
This could be China’s way of showing its capabilities and sending a message that Beijing is serious about protecting its sovereignty and interests.
The DF-5 And Its Capabilities
In China, official disclosures typically use vague language, avoiding precise details about the weapons. However, the broadcast on June 2 was unique in that it provided specific and in-depth information about a strategic Chinese nuclear missile.
It disclosed that the two-stage missile, which it described as China’s “first-generation strategic ICBM,” could deliver a single nuclear warhead with an explosive yield of between 3 and 4 megatons of TNT.
For perspective, this is roughly 200 times greater than the atomic bombs dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.
It added that the missile had a maximum range of 12,000 km (7,460 miles), sufficient to strike the continental United States and western Europe, and was accurate to within 500 meters.
The report further said that the missile was “32.6 meters in length with a diameter of 3.35 meters and a launch weight of 183 tons.”
During the broadcast, former People’s Liberation Army instructor Song Zhongping said the missile, which was developed in the early 1970s and entered service in 1981, played a critical role in China’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
“Without the DF-5, China wouldn’t be regarded as a nation with credible intercontinental strike capability. It was instrumental in China’s emergence as a nuclear power, demonstrating to the world that China must be taken seriously,” Song said.
According to Missile Threat, a platform dedicated to missile technology, “The DF-5 (Dong Feng-5 / CSS-4) is a silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It was the first ICBM that China developed, and has one of the longest ranges. These missiles are capable of delivering large nuclear payloads throughout the United States and Western Europe.”
The DF-5 also served as the basis for several other military and space programs. “These efforts included the Long March-2C space launch vehicle, the DF-6 fractional orbital bombardment program (cancelled), the PRC penetration aid program, and the DF-5B,” it said.
The DF-5B is similar to the capabilities of the DF-5, but can carry MIRVed warheads. The MIRV, or Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle, technology enables a single missile to carry and release multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of striking a different target across a wide geographic area.
Furthermore, in 2017, media reports surfaced that China had tested a new variant of the missile, the DF-5C, which is equipped with 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).
A Hidden Warning To The World?
Former PLA instructor Song Zhongping suggested that revealing details about the DF-5 could also mean that China is now in possession of much more advanced nuclear weapons and missile silos. Thus, Beijing feels confident in releasing key specifications of the DF-5 into the public domain.
“What we’re seeing is the phasing out of older systems – ones that have already served their purpose. The message is clear: China has far more powerful capabilities it has not shown the world.”
It is worth noting that China also has ICBMs like DF-31 and DF-41 in its arsenal. Last year, China conducted a successful test of the DF-31. Incidentally, this was the first time in four decades that China acknowledged testing an ICBM.
According to SIPRI, China is the third-biggest nuclear power in the world after Russia and the US. In 2024, Beijing had over 500 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
However, according to the Pentagon estimates, China already has over 600 nuclear warheads, and it will have an arsenal of over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
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