TBILISI, Oct 18 Reuters - American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday Washington was closely watching China's development of advanced weapons systems, while declining to comment directly on a report that Beijing tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied the report in the Financial Times newspaper, which said Beijing launched a hypersonic rocket carrying a rocket in July with a weapon. Beijing said that it was a space vehicle and not a missile.
The United States and Russia have both tested hypersonic weapons, usually determined as missiles that fly more than five times the speed of sound, in a race for a new generation of weapons that are harder to detect and block.
Justin Austin told reporters during his visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia: We watch closely China's development of armament and advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tensions in the region. He said Washington will remain focused on Beijing's military challenge.
Austin was speaking during a trip to Russia on which the Pentagon said he would reassure allies and partners of the United States commitment to their sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression He said the United States would partner with Georgia, who fought a losing war with Russia in 2008, to help it strengthen its defense and deterrent capabilities.