China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday for the first time in 44 years, in a show of force that raised concerns among the United States and its allies.

The test, Beijing’s first major missile launch since its two hypersonic weapons tests in the summer of 2021, came as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted intensive air and naval exercises in the region and ahead of a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden expected in the coming weeks.

China’s defence ministry said the ICBM carrying a dummy warhead was launched into international waters at 8.44am, adding that it was a ‘routine adjustment in our annual training plan’ in accordance with international law and was not aimed at any country or target.

However, the West has interpreted the launch as a political message and it is thought that it could raise concerns in the US that Beijing is modernising its nuclear weapons.

According to analysts, China has signalled that it has the capability to strike US territory with nuclear weapons. Notably, this show of force coincided with the Xi-Biden meeting.

In July 2021, the PLA launched a missile using a ‘fractional orbit bombardment’ system to propel a nuclear-capable ‘hypersonic glide vehicle’ around the Earth for the first time. It conducted a second hypersonic test the following month.

Analysts say the Rocket Force, the PLA’s conventional and nuclear missile arm, has used ranges in Xinjiang or the Bohai Sea as the target area for almost all its tests. The last time an ICBM was launched from a range other than these two was in 1980.

Beijing did not specify which missile it tested on Wednesday or where it was launched. But four security officials in Asia said the launch came from Hainan in southern China and was judged to be a land-based ICBM like the Dongfeng-41.

It does not appear to have been launched from a [Rocket Power] base or the Wenchang Space Launch Centre. It was most likely launched from a coastal area,’ Duan Dang, a Vietnam-based maritime security analyst, told the Financial Times.

Two senior Japanese officials said the ICBM did not fly over Japanese territory. But this launch, along with their recent attacks on our territory with military aircraft and ships, is seen as a serious provocation to the stability of this region,’ one of the officials said.

China could catch up with the US in nuclear weapons by 2030

China, which in the past had few nuclear warheads to retaliate against an enemy nuclear attack, is now rapidly expanding its arsenal of warheads and missile launchers.

According to US defence experts, this build-up could put China on a par with the world’s two leading nuclear powers, the United States and Russia, by the early 2030s.

This has sparked a debate in Washington about whether and how the United States should expand and adjust its own nuclear capabilities and posture.

According to the Japanese military, another PLA Navy fleet entered the Sea of Okhotsk on Monday, while Chinese and Russian naval vessels conducted joint training near Japan.

Experts say that by conducting the ICBM test at the same time as other exercises, the PLA is trying to demonstrate its capabilities across the board.

China has announced a series of stimulus measures, including a cut in its benchmark interest rate, as it grapples with a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.

In a public briefing on Tuesday, the People’s Bank of China also announced more support for the struggling property sector, as well as a state fund to revive the stock market and help with share buybacks.

While economists were sceptical that China could meet its full-year growth target of 5%, Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng said the measures were aimed at ‘supporting the steady growth of China’s economy’ and ‘promoting a moderate price recovery’.

China’s blue-chip CSI 300 index, which tracks shares traded in Shanghai and Shenzhen, rose 3.8 per cent on Tuesday after the announcement. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 3.9 per cent, led by mainland Chinese companies listed in the region.

Pan said the central bank’s main policy rate, the short-term seven-day reverse repurchase rate, would be cut to 1.5 per cent from 1.7 per cent.

“The central bank will also cut the reserve requirement ratio, the amount of reserves lenders must hold, by 0.5 percentage points, signalling a possible further cut of 0.25 to 0.5 percentage points this year. The RRR cut will provide Rmb1 trillion ($142 billion) of liquidity to the banking system”, he said.

“The rare simultaneous cut in policy rates and the RRR, the relative size of the cuts, and the unusual guidance on further policy easing all point to policymakers’ growing concern about headwinds to growth,” Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note to clients. “In our view, this signals a new round of policy easing to support the real economy,” he said.

“However, further demand easing – especially fiscal easing – is likely to be needed to improve China’s growth outlook,” they added.

China’s economic growth has slowed in recent months as a prolonged downturn in the property sector has weakened consumer sentiment and reduced spending.

Economists have cut growth forecasts below the government’s official target of 5 per cent by 2024 as deflationary forces persist and producer prices have fallen since last year.

Policymakers have turned to exports in the hope that the housing crisis will bottom out, but strong shipments of electric vehicles, batteries and other goods have failed to fully offset the weak domestic economy.

“China’s economy is recovering, and the monetary policy our bank has introduced this time will help support the real economy, stimulate spending and investment, while providing a stable floor for the exchange rate,” Pan said.

Pan was joined by Li Yunze, director of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the new financial sector watchdog, and Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the market regulator.

The government will boost stock market liquidity by allowing brokers, insurance companies and funds to use central bank facilities to buy shares, officials said. The People’s Bank of China will also provide credit facilities for shareholders to buy back shares.

“A new stimulus is definitely positive,” said Liu Chang, macro economist at BNP Paribas Asset Management.

But with economic momentum weak heading into the fourth quarter, he said the authorities would have to ‘move very quickly to implement additional measures in the coming weeks if they want to achieve the 5 per cent target’.

In this context, we think there is still a worrying lack of urgency behind their words on stimulus,” Liu said.

Among other measures, the bank reduced mortgage down payments for second homes from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. Second homes had previously been subject to stricter conditions to curb property speculation, a focus of President Xi Jinping.

The central bank also said it would improve conditions for its destocking programme, under which it is providing Rmb300 billion to local state-owned enterprises to help them buy unsold inventory from property developers.

Economists say reducing China’s unsold housing stock is crucial to restoring confidence in the economy and boosting domestic consumption.

The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack against a police van in Pakistan’s Swat province, escorting ambassador’s convoy is now generating stock of questions when banned Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has not only disowned its involvement but has also made allegations against own security forces. Analysts believe it repetition of 2004-2005 strategy on the part of militants who are linked with al-Qaeda, declared an international terror group throughout the world.

Though District Police Officer Swat Dr. Zahidullah soon after the occurrence in chat with media accused banned TTP and the Counter Terrorism Police (CTD) registered a case against unknown militants but almost heads and responsible office holders of law enforcing agencies yet to establish such claims and charges. For the last two days, high level police and other security organs officials are engaged in prolonged discussions and consultation to find out the elements or hands, responsible for terrorizing ambassadors from important countries.

Whatever might be claims and justifications on the part of police and other law enforcing agencies as well but one cannot ignore the presence of hundreds of banned TTP militants who are scattered in Swat and its surrounding areas. These militants shifted from neighboring Afghanistan in accordance with a deal made by former ISI Chief and ex-Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen (Retd) Faiz Hameed who is now facing trials in military courts, also called Court Martial. Whereas a couple of days the British media has reported the presence and activating of Hamza Osama bin-Laden in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations Mr. Muneer Akram has also hinted at re-activating of what he called Internationally declared terror organization al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

A high level figure within the Federal Government when asked for his point of view after Swat bomb attack against police escorting ambassadors convoy has avoided to say something in this respect, adding, “it is a great game, how it is possible for a common men to comment when forces didn’t forgive its high level general (Faiz Hameed).” Swat journalists confirmed that the high profile ambassador’s visit to Malam Jaba was kept very secret and only a few high ranking police and security officers were aware.

Attack against ambassadors is not new and even in 2004 al-Qaeda tried in a failed-attempt to target ambassadors visiting Swat

Former Secretary Home Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and retired Inspector General Police Syed Akhtar Ali Shah says, “attack against ambassadors was not new for him as some dacoits arrested from Matta Swat in 2004 have confirmed links with Al Qaeda and had disclosed plans of targeting foreigners visiting Swat. The dacoits were part of seven who had robbed a bank in Choparyal Matta Swat. Five of them were killed during encounters with police when Syed Akhtar Ali Shah was District Police Officer. The arrested dacoits/terrorists were affiliated with Pakistani group Jesh I Muhammad, linked with Al Qaeda.

Now it is no more secret that like in the late 90’s, al-Qaeda is again active throughout Afghanistan, where Taliban rulers are making their best to make “SILENT” media and politico-social activists as well. Unlike the 90’s, this time al-Qaeda is being supported by thousands of Pakistani militants who are associated with banned Tehrik Taliban Pakistan. Besides, Pakistanis a large number of others like Uzbeks from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan Resistance Movement and Uyghur’s from Kazakhstan and China are also present along with their like-minded Pakistani and Afghan Taliban.

Beside al-Qaeda, Daesh is most dangerous for the very interest of South and Central Asian states.

Apart from al-Qaeda, presence, strengthening and activating of Islamic States (IS) also called as Daesh is most dangerous and harmful for the very interests of almost all South and Central Asian countries. The IS militants are stated financially, technically and organizationally sound and effective throughout Afghanistan. Majority of IS militants are Pakistanis who are familiar in Afghanistan due to their support and contribution in the war against the USSR and later against the US led war on terror.

No one can deny the fact that after changing its modus operandi after frequent resistance in war on terror in end of first decade of new millennium, the US through its most confidential aides like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan, had gifted again Afghanistan to Tehrik Taliban Afghanistan also called it Emirate Islami Afghanistan. Pakistan despite playing a major role in toppling of democratic regime of Dr. Ashraf Ghani but now it’s “self-acclaimed and most powerful” spy organ is fastly losing its influence and popularity in Afghanistan. Even Taliban through Qatar after Saudi Arabia are used like remote control by US spy agencies. It is premature to say something about the future of Pakistan but almost all of its politico-techno circles and analysts are also losing hopes. Most people apprehend the arising of a very critical situation due to rising terror and violent acts in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan, which is considered “hub of globally recognized militants and their pay masters from spy agencies of US led allies and its rivals.”