Why is China's missile technology so advanced?

China's remarkable advancements in missile technology, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and hypersonic missiles, have surpassed those of many countries worldwide. Behind this achievement lies not only superb technology and national support but also the indispensable contribution of Qian Xuesen's ballistics. Qian's foresight and wisdom have elevated China's missiles to new heights in terms of power, range, and maneuverability. However, this remarkable achievement in missile technology raises questions: Why is China's missile technology so advanced? What impact has the application of Qian Xuesen's ballistics had on the development of China's missile technology? How does China's missile technology development affect the global security landscape?

China has no rivals in the field of missiles, not even the United States. China possesses all types of missiles that the U.S. has and even more advanced ones. China's intercontinental missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, anti-radiation missiles, etc., form the fundamental basis of China's strength. The United States currently only has one type of intercontinental missile in service, the Minuteman III ballistic missile, and it's noteworthy that a Chinese designer contributed to its design. The Minuteman III is a relic of the past century and cannot compare to China's intercontinental missiles in terms of range, power, or maneuverability. Moreover, due to its long service life, the Minuteman III has frequently encountered problems, with recent test launches ending in consecutive failures. It's not an exaggeration to say that when the service life of the Minuteman III expires, the United States will have no land-based missiles worth mentioning. Additionally, given the current strength of the U.S. military, it may not be easy to develop a new strategic missile.

Although the U.S.'s Minuteman III intercontinental missile also uses solid fuel, it can only be launched from missile silos, whereas China's DF-41 can be launched not only from traditional missile silos but also from mobile launchers. It can be launched on highways or from mountainous terrain, unaffected by terrain or weather conditions. From this perspective, China's secondary nuclear retaliation capability far exceeds that of the United States, not to mention hypersonic missiles. The United States still hasn't figured out hypersonic missiles, while China's hypersonic missiles have long been in service, and China definitely has more than one type of hypersonic missile. Why can China's missiles lead the world? This inevitably brings up Qian Xuesen's ballistics.