Missiles fired from China could be ‘carrier-killers’ — report

The six missiles that were test-fired by China last weekend could have been the Dongfeng-21D  ballistic missiles, nicknamed the "carrier-killer," according to a report by Japan's public broadcaster NHK.

The missiles, which were unveiled at a military parade in Beijing in 2015,  were believed to have a range of more than 1,500 kilometers and could have been developed to prevent US military vessels from approaching, the report added.

A separate report by Sandra Aguinaldo on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho quoting an earlier NHK report said that the missiles that landed in South China Sea were fired not from the artificial islands, but from mainland China.

"A US military official has told NHK that China has test-fired missiles from the mainland into disputed waters in the south china sea for the first time," the NHK report said.

"The official said the US military us now analyzing the types of missiles that were fired," it added.

When asked about the missile test, the report said that China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang replied: "Were you here these past few days?  Then you should know my answer.  I'd refer you to the PLA on reports about missile testing."

Amid alarm over the missile test, the Philippines will continue to look to the United States as one of its reliable allies, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. 

"It is like a spouse, you can't live without them but sometimes you wish you could, but really you can't . . . ." he said.

The Pentagon had said on Tuesday a recent Chinese missile launch in the South China Sea was "disturbing" and contrary to Chinese pledges that it would not militarize the disputed waterway.

The South China Sea is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the US-China relationship, which include a trade war, US sanctions and Taiwan.

The Department of National Defense (DND) earlier said it will investigate the reported Chinese missile launch in the South China Sea, its chief said on Wednesday.

“We have no first-hand knowledge about this missile launch except this news report. We will conduct our own inquiry and will decide later what to do if proven correct,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo echoed Lorenzana's statement. —LDF, GMA News