China’s DF-41 Ballistic Missile Deployment and the Impact on its Nuclear Deterrence

The deployment of the DF-41 ballistic missile in China shows that the nature of its nuclear posture is at a critical stage of evolution. On the one hand, the deployment illustrates the achievements in Chinese missile modernisation, which poses a threat to the US deterrence capacity. On other hand, it exposes the limitations in its deployment patterns. Far from the expected and seamless transition from solid to liquid fuelled missiles, China’s diversification plan of deploying the DF-41 along with new and improved liquid-fuelled Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) deployment show that its faith in the solid-based propellant missiles remains limited at present.