China Releases Footage of Major Missile Test To Threaten U.S.

China’s military celebrated its birthday by subtly threatening the United States. On July 31, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force, the military service responsible for China’s conventional and nuclear arsenal, released new footage from one of the country’s largest recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

The release, timed to coincide with the 98th anniversary of the PLA’s founding, signals Beijing’s growing capacity to strike the American homeland using the land-based portion of its nuclear triad.

Footage Release Coincides with PLA Military Celebration

The footage, which is nearly identical to state media images issued immediately following the 2024 test, appears to depict a Dong Feng-31AG, one of the PLA’s newer road-mobile ICBM variants. The launch was China’s first to land in international waters since 1980 and contained a dummy warhead that landed in the South Pacific nuclear-free zone near the Caroline Atoll in French Polynesia.

Along with publicizing the test, the PLA also confirmed the launch of a fourth amphibious assault ship during an ongoing training exercise in the South China Sea. The new vessel is a Type 075, far larger than previous PLA amphibious ships, and capable of landing marines, operating as an in-theatre medical facility, and launching small assault landing craft — all capabilities that would be critical in a military crisis in the First Island Chain. 

China Continues Unprecedented Nuclear Build-Up

The release of the footage comes as China has continued to rapidly increase both the quantity and sophistication of its nuclear arsenal, particularly over the past several years. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense estimated that China currently fields 600 operational warheads, ranging from low yield “tactical” nuclear weapons to multiple independently targetable warheads. Moreover, the department estimated that this stockpile is likely to reach over 1,000 by 2030, reflecting the PLA’s investments in its overall nuclear triad.

While Beijing officially advocates a nuclear policy of No First Use, the PLA has ramped up investments into land-based silos, introduced new hypersonic nuclear-capable missile variants, and began operating a fast breeder reactor to produce nuclear material. Beijing has paired these investments with greater funding for China’s navy, tying the expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal to its growing submarine fleet and conventional power projection capabilities.

U.S. Must Pursue Homeland Missile Defense

While China’s previous test was notable for its extension into the southern Pacific, the PLA’s release of new footage timed to coincide with a major anniversary showcases Beijing’s intent to broadcast its growing military capabilities to its neighbors and the United States. The launch of a fourth amphibious vessel also highlights China’s growing expeditionary capabilities, particularly in conducting near-shore operations.

In response, Washington should accelerate its efforts to construct President Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” to protect the American homeland. Along with receiving sufficient appropriations from Congress, the Defense Department should task the Missile Defense Agency with establishing a global network of land, air, and space-based sensors to track and engage incoming threats.

Jack Burnham is a research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Jack and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.