BANGKOK (AP) 鈥� China鈥檚 navy test-launched a long-range ballistic missile Monday from one of its nuclear-powered submarines in the South Pacific, a rare act that drew protests and concern from countries in the region.
The missile carried a dummy warhead, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. China last conducted a missile test in the Pacific two years ago, with a dummy warhead, the first since 1980.
The 2024 launch mirrored the testing the United States conducts for its own ballistic missile fleet, which experts viewed as an assertion of China鈥檚 growing superpower status.
Monday’s launch, at 12:01 p.m. local time, was part of routine annual training, complied with international law and practice and was not directed against any country or target, according to a short statement from Xinhua, which was reposted by the Ministry of Defense.
Australia, Japan and New Zealand express criticism
Beijing’s militarization has drawn concerns, and Australia, Japan and New Zealand criticized the launch.
The New Zealand government said it was informed hours beforehand and noted that the missile was fired into the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone.
The zone was established by the 1986 Treaty of Rarotonga, which prohibits nuclear weapons throughout the region. China ratified the protocols in 1987, pledging not to test nuclear weapons within the zone or threaten to use them against signatories with territory in the region.
鈥淚t appears that despite our long-standing concerns about this type of activity, China carried out the test within hours of informing us,鈥� Foreign Minister Winston Peters told The Associated Press in a statement.
The launch took place the same day meant to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.
鈥淎ustralia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilizing to the region,鈥� Australia鈥檚 Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters in Fiji in response to the test.
Japan’s Defense Ministry in a statement expressed concern about China鈥檚 increasing military activity and urged Beijing to 鈥渞ethink鈥� its missile testing so that the projectiles would not fly over Japan or pose other security risks.
鈥淐hina鈥檚 military activities, combined with its lack of transparency, have become a grave concern for Japan and the international society,鈥� Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said in Japan, citing Beijing’s military activities around Japan and its increased military spending.
Beijing brushed off the criticism.
鈥淲e hope that the relevant countries will avoid overinterpretation,鈥� a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said.
Expert says it’s a signal to the United States
The concern is a result of a lack of clear information, said Drew Thompson, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore: 鈥淐hina鈥檚 military modernization and buildup have occurred without concurrent increases in openness and transparency, resulting in uncertainty about China鈥檚 intentions.”
Lyle Morris, a senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute鈥檚 Center for China Analysis, said the launch was the first publicly acknowledged test with a dummy warhead from a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine of the Chinese navy to travel this far into the Pacific.
Morris said it is noteworthy that the information available shows Japan, New Zealand and Australia received notifications in advance, but not the U.S.
The test was a signal to the U.S., he said: 鈥淭he announcement demonstrates that China鈥檚 nuclear deterrent is no longer centered solely on land-based missiles.”
China maintains a 鈥渘o first use鈥� of nuclear weapons policy, but is also actively pursuing nuclear technology and weaponry as part of its long-term strategy to modernize the People鈥檚 Liberation Army.
China has a fleet of six ballistic-missile submarines and 59 nuclear-powered attack submarines, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington-based think tank.
In its latest report to Congress on China鈥檚 military capabilities, released in late 2025, the Pentagon said China had an estimated stockpile of around 600 nuclear warheads in 2024, adding that the PLA remains .
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Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Japan, E. Eduardo Castillo in Bangkok and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
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