Both interpretations of the test are plausible, though not equally credible. I suspect that, as reported, China is following the Soviet Union’s lead in developing a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system. But I can’t rule out the possibility that China is developing a space plane, like the United States’ X-37B. Because tests of space planes and some orbital weapons could be indistinguishable, determining China’s intentions is difficult. In fact, it is even possible that China tested a technology demonstrator with multiple potential applications.
Listened to Jeffrey Lewis and he repatedly made the point that if you load a nuke in a space shuttle it’s a hypersonic FOBS, gotta wonder if there are any plans to to stick a nuke in a X-37b.
This was explicitly part of the appeal of the Shuttle program (also, and perhaps more politically palatable, it could orbit-insert surveillance satellites in ways not as limited and predictable as direct ballistic launch from known sites). This is why on (non-classified) missions it orbited with its bay open and visible to Soviet monitoring on the ground, like displaying your open hands