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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 16, 2003

Today in history: blast of A-bomb, carrier rocket launch from submarine

At 3 p.m. on Oct.16, 1964, China exploded its first atomic bomb successfully in its western area. This made China the fifth nuclear-weapon power in the world, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, Britain and France.


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At 3 p.m. on Oct.16, 1964, China exploded its first atomic bomb successfully in its western area. This made China the fifth nuclear-weapon power in the world, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, Britain and France.

In 1955, late Chairman Mao issued the call that China should not only have more fighters and cannons, but should also have atomic bombs. In today's world, we must have such things, if we do not want to be bullied by others. For this, the CPC Central Committee designated Chen Yun, Nie Rongzhen and Bo Yibo to take charge of China's nuclear industry. When the former Soviet Union withdrew their experts in 1959, China was resolved to fulfil this arduous task self-reliantly. In 1962, a special leading organ led by the late Premier Zhou Enlai was set up. With the joint efforts of sci-tech personnel and commanders and fighters engaged in the building of national defense, China's nuclear test was ended with success.

The Chinese government declared that China's development of nuclear weapon was aimed entirely to defend the Chinese people from the threat of nuclear battle. In the meantime, it solemnly announced that under no circumstance and at no time would China be the first to use nuclear weapons. It also proposed that a meeting of heads of government of various countries around the world be held to discuss questions concerning total prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.

On Oct.16, 1982, a carrier rocket was lifted off from our submarine and dashed right into the predestinated sea area. This submerged performance by our submarine marked a new breakthrough in our carrier rocket technology since our first successful launch of a carrier rocket to the Pacific ocean in May, 1980. New technologies, new fuel, and new materials were applied on the newly-born carrier rocket for this mission. The firing device on the submarine was developed all by ourselves. The array of home-made precision apparatus and instruments operated with the computer system received, processed and transmitted messages in a specific way from the fleet from the air, the land and the sea and acquired data in the course of the rocket flight. All of this is of great significance to further boost our aerospace course.

By PD Online staff member Li Jia


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