China's Offensive Missile Forces

Today's hearing will explore the advancement of China's offensive missile forces, both conventional and nuclear, and the implications of this modernization for the United States. Until recently, the Second Artillery's arsenal consisted of only nuclear ballistic missiles. With the development of China's conventional missile forces since the 1990s, that has changed. Initially focusing on shorter-range missiles for Taiwan contingencies, the PLA has expanded its strike options by developing longer-range missiles and developing a variety of launch platforms. The PLA's anti-ship ballistic missile, for example, provides China the ability to threaten U.S. Navy aircraft carriers from the Chinese mainland. Although conventional weapons provide China with additional flexibility in its national deterrence strategy, the risk of escalation remains high. Wrongly estimating an adversary's perception of a conventional missile strike could quickly escalate the conflict to involve additional parties, or even to the nuclear realm.