China's new weapon shocks the world: Is this Hydrogen bomb a game-changer for modern warfare?
A revolutionary weapon
Test results and military applications
Live Events
The role of Magnesium Hydride
China's military modernisation and clean energy focus
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Chinese researchers have successfully detonated a new hydrogen-based explosive device, signalling a leap in the country's military capabilities. This breakthrough, described as a non-nuclear hydrogen bomb , was developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), with the device tested in a field experiment. Unlike traditional nuclear bombs, it harnesses a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material that ignites to create a sustained fireball, capable of producing heat 15 times longer than a TNT explosion.The device, weighing just 2 kilograms, has a unique explosive mechanism. Instead of using nuclear materials, it relies on magnesium hydride, which stores hydrogen at a much higher density than conventional pressurised tanks. When detonated by a standard explosive, the magnesium hydride undergoes rapid thermal decomposition, releasing hydrogen gas.The gas mixes with air and ignites, creating a blazing fireball that can burn at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C. This intense heat persists for over two seconds, making the device far more effective in terms of sustained damage than conventional explosives.'Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly,' said Wang Xuefeng, a lead researcher at the CSSC. The sustained heat can melt materials like aluminium alloys, offering a strategic advantage in targeting specific military assets or infrastructure.The test, conducted under controlled conditions, showed that the device could generate peak overpressure of 428.43 kilopascals at two meters, around 40% of TNT's blast force, but with far more significant heat damage. The bomb's unique feature is its ability to create a self-feeding combustion loop, which means it can continue producing intense heat after initial detonation, devastating large areas.The weapon's potential military applications are wide-ranging: from denying the enemy access to strategic routes by incinerating roads to precisely targeting critical infrastructure such as power stations or communication hubs.This weapon is not only a significant military advancement but also an example of China's growing expertise in energy-based weaponry. The bomb's sustained heat and ability to target specific points, without indiscriminately affecting a broad area, allow the PLA (People's Liberation Army) to carry out precision strikes on high-value targets.Until recently, magnesium hydride was only produced in small quantities, due to its highly reactive nature. However, China has invested heavily in scaling up its production capabilities. A new facility in Shaanxi province is now able to produce 150 tonnes annually, using a novel "one-pot synthesis" method developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. This breakthrough not only makes the production of magnesium hydride safer but also more cost-effective, which is a crucial factor in mass production for military applications.China is exploring additional uses for magnesium hydride, including as a power source for submarine fuel cells and long-endurance drones. The material's potential as an energy source is expanding beyond explosives, indicating that China's military strategy includes integrating clean energy solutions into its weaponry.This test comes amid China's broader military modernisation efforts, which are increasingly incorporating clean energy technologies. The country has been upgrading its fleet of warships with electric propulsion systems, including advanced vessels like the Type 055 Renhai-class cruisers. Additionally, China has made significant strides in aerospace with the development of eco-friendly propulsion technologies. In 2023, it launched the world's first methane-powered rocket to reach orbit, a feat that underscores its ambition to lead in sustainable military technology.The timing of this development is significant, as tensions rise between China and Taiwan. Beijing has ramped up its military presence around Taiwan, viewing any external support for the island as a direct challenge to its sovereignty. The increased military activity follows rising US arms sales to Taiwan and high-profile visits by American officials. This month, China conducted large-scale drills, including live fire exercises, further heightening tensions in the region.China has made it clear that it sees any intervention in Taiwan's affairs as interference in its internal matters, and has warned the US against providing military aid to Taiwan. Despite these warnings, the US has reaffirmed its commitment to Taiwan, pledging continued support and engaging in joint military exercises with regional allies.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Global Smartwatch Shipments decline 2% in Q1 2025; Apple leads amid rising Chinese brands
The global smartwatch market saw a 2% year-over-year (YoY) decline in shipments during the first quarter of 2025, signaling a period of stabilization after years of rapid growth. According to the counterpoint research, despite the dip, Apple retained its position as the market leader, capturing 20% of global shipments. It was followed by Huawei with 16% and Xiaomi with 10%, both of which showed significant growth. Apple slips as Chinese brands accelerate Among the top 10 smartwatch brands, Huawei and Xiaomi registered the fastest YoY growth, driven by strong domestic demand and expansion in emerging markets. Apple, on the other hand, experienced a 9% YoY decline, primarily due to waning consumer interest. Industry analysts point to the lack of significant innovations in recent Apple Watch models as a key factor, with many users opting to hold off on upgrades. Apple's market share has also seen notable fluctuations over recent quarters. While it led with 31% share in Q4 2023, its share dropped to 20% in Q1 2025, reflecting a seasonal slowdown and intensifying competition. The 'Others' category — encompassing all non-Apple brands — accounted for 80% of the market in Q1 2025, underscoring the growing diversity of options available to consumers. China emerged as the top contributor to global smartwatch shipments this quarter, accounting for 29% of total volume. The country also recorded the highest YoY shipment growth at 40%, fueled by robust performance from Huawei, BBK (Imoo), and Xiaomi. This surge highlights China's role as both a major manufacturing hub and a fast-growing consumer market for wearables. In North America, High-Level Operating System (HLOS) smartwatches dominated with an 84% share, led by Apple, Samsung, and Garmin. The region continues to favor feature-rich smartwatches over basic fitness trackers, driven by health monitoring and connectivity features. As the smartwatch market matures, brands are expected to focus more on innovation, pricing strategies, and regional customization to sustain growth and consumer Kumar @ New Delhi The global smartwatch market saw a 2% year-over-year (YoY) decline in shipments during the first quarter of 2025, signaling a period of stabilization after years of rapid growth. According to the counterpoint research, despite the dip, Apple retained its position as the market leader, capturing 20% of global shipments. It was followed by Huawei with 16% and Xiaomi with 10%, both of which showed significant growth. Apple slips as Chinese brands accelerate Among the top 10 smartwatch brands, Huawei and Xiaomi registered the fastest YoY growth, driven by strong domestic demand and expansion in emerging markets. Apple, on the other hand, experienced a 9% YoY decline, primarily due to waning consumer interest. Industry analysts point to the lack of significant innovations in recent Apple Watch models as a key factor, with many users opting to hold off on upgrades. Apple's market share has also seen notable fluctuations over recent quarters. While it led with 31% share in Q4 2023, its share dropped to 20% in Q1 2025, reflecting a seasonal slowdown and intensifying competition. The 'Others' category — encompassing all non-Apple brands — accounted for 80% of the market in Q1 2025, underscoring the growing diversity of options available to consumers. China emerged as the top contributor to global smartwatch shipments this quarter, accounting for 29% of total volume. The country also recorded the highest YoY shipment growth at 40%, fueled by robust performance from Huawei, BBK (Imoo), and Xiaomi. This surge highlights China's role as both a major manufacturing hub and a fast-growing consumer market for wearables. In North America, High-Level Operating System (HLOS) smartwatches dominated with an 84% share, led by Apple, Samsung, and Garmin. The region continues to favor feature-rich smartwatches over basic fitness trackers, driven by health monitoring and connectivity features. As the smartwatch market matures, brands are expected to focus more on innovation, pricing strategies, and regional customization to sustain growth and consumer interest.
Economic Times
12 hours ago
- Economic Times
China approves some exports of rare earths ahead of US talks
Beijing has approved some rare earth export applications, potentially easing tensions before US-China trade talks. The commerce ministry confirmed the approvals, noting growing demand in robotics and electric vehicles, and will expedite approvals for qualified exporters to Europe. This follows a call between Presidents Trump and Xi, where Trump expressed optimism about resolving trade issues and advancing towards a deal. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Beijing says it granted approval to some applications for the export of rare earths, a move that could ease tensions before trade negotiations between the US and China next Chinese commerce ministry confirmed the approval of the applications without specifying which countries or industries were covered, even as it noted growing demand for the minerals in robotics and electric vehicles. The ministry will continue to review and approve compliant export applications, according to a statement on confirmation comes days after the US and Chinese presidents spoke, following which Donald Trump said that there "should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products." Delegations from Beijing and Washington are scheduled to meet in the UK to conduct trade negotiations on granted temporary export licenses to rare-earth suppliers of the top three US automakers, Reuters reported on Friday. The commerce ministry also said earlier Saturday it will speed up approvals for qualified rare earth exporters to comment came one day after a rare call with Xi aimed at resolving trade tensions that have been brewing over the topic for that time, Trump said there had been "a very positive conclusion" to the talks, adding that "there should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products.""We're very far advanced on the China deal," Trump told reporters on countries struck an agreement on May 12 in Geneva, Switzerland, to roll back for 90 days most of the triple-digit, tit-for-tat tariffs they had placed on each other since Trump's January inauguration. Financial markets that had worried about trade disruptions rallied on the news.
Economic Times
17 hours ago
- Economic Times
Xiaomi's game-changing chip stuns tech world, even China cheers while the U.S. watches nervously
What is Xiaomi's Xring 01 chip and why is it a big deal? 2 Cortex-X925 cores at 3.9 GHz (for top-level performance) 4 Cortex-A725 cores at 3.4 GHz (for high-load tasks) 2 Cortex-A725 cores at 1.9 GHz (for medium use) 2 Cortex-A520 cores at 1.8 GHz (for efficiency and power saving) How much did Xiaomi invest in developing the Xring 01 chip? Live Events Can Xiaomi's chip really compete with Apple and Qualcomm? Why is the Chinese government praising the Xring 01 chip? What does the future hold for Xiaomi and China's chip industry? FAQs: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Xring 01 chip is making global headlines, not just for its powerful performance but for what it represents — a major leap in China's bid to become a tech powerhouse. This is Xiaomi's first true high-end processor, developed entirely in-house and launched to compete directly with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 and Apple's A18 Pro. In a rare move, even the Chinese government publicly praised the chip, underlining its national significance. After four years of intense development, this chip could reshape the balance in the global semiconductor Xiaomi Xring 01 is a newly launched System-on-a-Chip (SoC) designed to power flagship devices like the Xiaomi 15S Pro and Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra. Built on licensed ARM architecture, it uses a unique ten-core configuration split into four clusters:This architecture lets the chip balance raw power with energy efficiency. According to Xiaomi, it's been benchmarked to outperform Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite and even the Apple A18 Pro — two of the most powerful chips on the market Xring 01 is the result of four years of R&D, involving over 2,500 engineers and a massive investment of 13.5 billion yuan (around €1.67 billion). This is not a one-time push. Xiaomi's CEO, Lei Jun, confirmed that the company plans to pour another €6 billion into semiconductor development over the next ten chip also marks the birth of a new processor line for Xiaomi, as the '01' naming signals the beginning of an entire Xring family. The company isn't just trying to make devices faster — it's aiming to become a serious player in the global chip tests say yes — and that's a big deal. Xiaomi claims the Xring 01 matches or beats Qualcomm's top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite and performs better than Apple's A18 Pro. These are early benchmarks, so real-world performance might vary, but the results have already turned isn't Xiaomi's first time building chips. Back in 2017, they introduced the Surge S1, but it never made a serious impact. The Xring 01, by contrast, appears to be in a completely different class, positioning Xiaomi alongside the world's most advanced tech has long wanted to reduce its dependence on foreign tech — especially American chips. That's why the launch of a powerful homegrown chip like the Xring 01 has drawn praise from Chinese officials, who see it as a national achievement in the global tech rising tensions between China and the United States, chip technology has become a strategic battleground. After the U.S. blocked Huawei from accessing chip-making giant TSMC, Chinese firms have rushed to find local alternatives. Huawei now uses SMIC, a Chinese chip foundry, but it still can't compete at the sub-7nm for now, still uses TSMC to manufacture the Xring 01. But with global pressure mounting, the company is reportedly working on a 'Plan B', anticipating the kind of trade sanctions that hit breakthrough is more than just a technical win — it's a geopolitical milestone. With the Xring 01, the company has proven it can design chips that rival or surpass the global best. What's left is manufacturing autonomy. If China can close that final gap, it could challenge the U.S. and Taiwan's dominance in now, Xiaomi has joined the frontlines of this tech revolution. As more Chinese firms follow, the global chip landscape may never look the same Xiaomi's powerful new processor that competes with Apple's A18 Pro and Snapdragon 8 powers the Xiaomi 15S Pro and Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra.
