BEIJING - China on Thursday successfully conducted a land-based, mid-course missile interception test, said the Ministry of National Defense.

The test is defensive in nature and does not target any country, the Ministry of National Defense said

China conducted the test within its territory and achieved the desired test objective, the ministry said in a statement.

The test is defensive in nature and does not target any country, said the ministry.

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This was the fifth land-based, mid-course missile interception test China has publicly announced. Before it, the nation successfully completed four such tests in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2018.

An advanced anti-missile interceptor requires cutting-edge technologies, best manufacturing techniques and top materials and will only be successful after a great number of tests, experts said.

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Zhao Lei contributed to this report