“KIND OF A WARNING”: China Says it Successfully Tests New Type of Missile.

The Chinese weapon tested was likely a DF-26 intermediate range missile being developed to sink warships, including U.S. aircraft carriers, said Song Zhongping, an expert on military affairs and commentator for Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV. The Bohai Gulf is the preferred location for such tests because it is Chinese territorial waters, Song said.

However, while the DF-26 could be useful against THAAD, China also has several other missiles that are up to the task, he said.

“It hasn’t much to do with THAAD directly, but it is a kind of warning” to South Korea and the U.S., Song said.

If South Korea’s liberal new president had hoped his election would bring moderation from Beijing or Pyongyang, he might want to reassess.