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China ’s DF-26, the anti-ship ballistic missile, has been mobilised to Northwest China’s plateau and desert areas, according to Chinese state media publication The Global Times. The announcement of the deployment comes after a US warship sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday. The new generation of intermediate-range ballistic missiles are capable of targeting medium and large ships at sea.

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The missiles can also carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.

The ballistic missile deployed by China is believed to have the capability to hit targets 4,500km away.

This would make the missiles capable of striking targets including US naval bases in Guam in the western Pacific.

The missiles were first paraded in 2015, but this is the first time footage has been seen of the missiles outside of a parade.