China: the army strengthens its military defenses against Taiwan with the DF-17

The first appearance of the DF-17 during the parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, 2019. REUTERS / Jason Lee

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After Kim Jong-un's missile parade in North Korea, China is strengthening its defenses against Taiwan.

New ballistic missile systems are deployed along the Strait of Formosa, Chinese military sources reported on Sunday by the Hong Kong press. 

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With our regional correspondent

,

Stéphane Lagarde

The Dongfeng-17 had cameras and cameras thrilled when it first appeared for

the 70th anniversary parade of the founding of the People's Republic of China

a year ago in Beijing.

Today, this long ballistic missile with the nose in the form of a tapered white tip is said to have resurfaced on the southeastern coast of China.

According to information from the

South China Morning Post

, the solid fuel rolling vehicle is in the deployment phase to gradually replace the old equipment lined up for decades against Taiwan. 

According to the experts, this gesture would go beyond a simple renewal of the equipment.

By inflating its missile bases in theaters in the east and south, the People's Liberation Army is doing more than bulging its torso.

She says she is preparing for a possible invasion of what Beijing sees as a “ 

separatist province

 ”.

The old DF-11 and DF-15 missiles did not have the capacity to fly over mountain ranges and reach Taiwanese air bases in Taitung and Hualien, according to a specialist quoted by the English-speaking Hong Kong daily, while the DF- 17 has a range of 2,500 kilometers.

Tensions after a series of contracts

ith

 the US

The revelations of a military build-up in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong in People's China come amid tensions in recent weeks after the Tsai Ing-wen government signed a

series of contracts with the United States

for the purchase of weapons such as the American Patriot missiles.

The revelations also come five days after Xi Jinping's visit to a Marine Corps camp in southeast China, where the Chinese president called on soldiers to " 

remain very vigilant and prepare for war

 ."

An eventuality deemed unlikely Friday by

Robert O'Brien

, adviser to President Donald Trump, " 

before 10 or 15 years

 ".

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  • China

  • Taiwan

  • United States

  • Defense

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