Beijing: China today said it successfully conducted a land-based anti-missile test, stated to be the third of its kind, as part of its efforts to build a missile shield to intercept incoming warheads.
Chinese military forces conducted a “land-based anti-missile technology experiment,” the Ministry of National Defence announced.
The experiment “achieved the desired objectives,” it said, without giving details, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Last January, China conducted its second interceptor missile test.
Xinhua reported at that time that “the test has reached the pre-set goal” and quoted experts as saying that the test could build shield for China's air defence by intercepting incoming warheads such as ballistic missiles in space.
Today's anti-missile test came as Chinese military was preparing to conduct major defence exercises which already affected air traffic in 12 airports.
Flights in and out of airports in the country's east including Shanghai, Nanjing and Wuhan - would be affected from last Sunday until August 15 by the “high-frequency drills of another user”, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post quoted the China Civil aviation regulator as saying.
In the last two days more than 290 flights at Shanghai's two airports were delayed or cancelled.
Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines alone had cancelled 22 flights in and out of the affected airports early yesterday morning, the company said, according to the Post report.
