China shot down one of its own satellites in Jan.2010: US report

New Delhi, July 19 (ANI): The US-based Foreign Policy magazine has reported that China has shot down one of its dysfunctional satellites with a missile for the second time in three years.

According to The China Daily, the satellite was destroyed in January. The reported firing took place at almost the same time as a successful missile interception test that China conducted on January 11.

According to the website of Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, during the interception test, US agencies spotted two missiles launched from two locations from the Chinese mainland, colliding outside the atmosphere.

China's Foreign Ministry then said the interception test was defensive in nature and was not targeting any country.

Many military scholars believe it was targeting the Patriot missile defense system that Taiwan was trying to buy from the US at that time.

China's first anti-satellite missile test was conducted successfully on Jan 11, 2007, destroying an abandoned Chinese satellite.

The Foreign Policy article did not reveal any other details of the move or any response from the US government. (ANI)