New analysis warns that China's military is developing a "real and growing" ability to hit the Australian mainland with missiles, and can already threaten Australia's trade routes, subsea cables and critical infrastructure.

The rapid expansion of China’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet and long-range missile stockpile is fuelling its growing ability to hit targets in Australia, a new report warns.

China is capable of a direct missile strike on Australia and the threat is growing as Beijing amasses long-range and hypersonic weapons and builds islands in the South China Sea,…