Carrying out planned scientific tests in Chinese territory is normal practice, and the tests targeted no specific country, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a written statement to Shenzhen TV following the Washington Free Beacon's report about the DF-5C missile tests.

American media has kept hyping up China's normal scientific tests, although the Chinese military has reiterated that China adopts a defensive nuclear strategy and will not change its “no first use” policy.

The Washington Free Beacon report said the U.S. will have to reevaluate China's nuclear arsenal, and a boost in China's nuclear arsenal to 800-1,000 warheads would likely prompt the Pentagon to increase the U.S. arsenal by taking nuclear weapons out of storage.

China may be sending a signal to the Trump administration with the test, Rick Fisher said, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Li Wei, a professor at the People's Liberation Army's National Defence University told Shenzhen TV the U.S. is likely to maintain its dominant position, especially as a nuclear power. The U.S. believes China's possession of DF-5C missiles poses some threat to its dominance.