China Says Recent Test Was Spacecraft Not "Hypersonic Missile"

"According to my understanding, this test is a routine spacecraft test, used to test a reusable spacecraft technology," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

China on Monday denied a report it had recently launched a hypersonic missile, saying it tested a spacecraft to trial reusable technologies.

The Financial Times reported Saturday that Beijing had launched a nuclear-capable missile in August that circled the Earth at low orbit before narrowly missing its target.

FT sources said the hypersonic missile was carried by a Long March rocket and that the test had been kept under wraps.

But China said Monday the report was inaccurate and the exercise was a test of reusable technology that could reduce the cost of launching spacecraft.