Ajey Lele replies: The main focus of Chinese hypersonic development is definitely the West. However, India needs to be careful since such capabilities can always come in handy for China if it decides to use them against India. Only recently, China has successfully tested its Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV). Earlier, during 2014–16, China had carried out six successful tests of DF-ZF, a hypersonic missile delivery vehicle. In 2018, China had tested three different designs of scaled-down hypersonic aircraft.
Japan: Kishida’s Balancing Act and Road Ahead
Recent developments indicate that the pro-China lobby has turned weak within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The changed internal party dynamics is likely to immensely help Prime Minister Fumio Kishida carry forward his defence and foreign policy agenda.