A Chinese nationalist newspaper says China’s smog could thwart missile attacks, the South China Morning Post reports.
China has faced record-breaking air pollution in recent days. Smog in Shanghai reached its highest levels on Monday since the Chinese government began recording it last year.
"Smog may affect people’s health and daily lives … but on the battlefield, it can serve as a defensive advantage in military operations," said an article on the website of Global Times, a nationalist newspaper affiliated to the Communist Party’s mouthpiece the People’s Daily.
Missile guidance that relies on human sight, infrared rays and lasers could be affected by smog in varing degrees, the article said. It explained that tiny particles in the air contributing to air pollution could hinder missile guidance systems.
The article said that during the Kosovo war, soldiers of the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia used smoke from burning tyres to hamper Nato air strikes. The smoke reduced visibility, hindering reconnaissance efforts, the article said. […]
Chinese internet users were unimpressed by the Global Timesarticle, which was seen as an attempt by authorities to put a positive spin on deteriorating air quality and to divert public anger from official inaction.