China’s missile arsenal today is not just catching up with the world’s leading nuclear powers—but in some areas, it’s already out in front. The sheer variety of systems on display in Beijing—from heavy silo ICBMs to road-mobile launchers, from submarine- and air-launched systems to hypersonic glide vehicles and supersonic anti-ship weapons—points to a layered, flexible, and modern strategic deterrent. In fact, Beijing is pressing hardest in the one domain where its rivals lag badly: hypersonics. While Washington is still in the research-and-testing phase, China fields operational hypersonic glide vehicles and is expanding its hypersonic anti-ship arsenal. Russia is the only other country in that club, and both Moscow and Beijing are moving faster than the United States. The September 3, 2025 parade wasn’t just pomp. It was a signal. China is building a missile force designed not only to guarantee a second strike in nuclear war, but also to deny access to its coastal zones, threaten adversary fleets, and keep rivals guessing in any regional conflict. For the first time in modern history, Beijing isn’t playing catch-up in missile technology. It’s setting the tempo—and daring others to keep pace.