China's Strategic Military Expansion: New Missile Complex in Tibetan Plateau

Satellite images and open-source intelligence have uncovered significant military construction near Golmud in Qinghai Province, China, indicating a strategic effort to expand the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). The development is key to boosting China's missile capabilities, according to Phayul.

The new facility is reported to include multiple launch pads and high-tech shelters for transporter-erector-launchers, suggesting the rise of a missile brigade under PLARF Base 64. This move positions China advantageously at the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, enabling missile launches into South and Central Asia. Analysts note this step as part of China's broader ambitions to modernize its nuclear and missile arsenal, following the discovery of new missile silo fields in Gansu and Inner Mongolia since 2021.

Rapid construction at the site, with integrated launch zones, signals a focus on mobility and defense. The Golmud base is projected to accommodate up to 36 missile launchers. Observed military drills between 2024 and 2025 imply the base is nearing operational readiness, designed for agile deployment in regional conflicts. Experts have warned of its potential impact on regional security, further signifying China's militarization of the Tibetan plateau, as reported by Phayul.