China tests long-range missile in Pacific, drawing condemnation from Australia, Japan, and New Zealand

The test

At 12:01 local time on Monday, a Chinese nuclear-powered strategic submarine launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward international waters of the Pacific, the Chinese navy said in a statement. The missile "landed precisely within the designated waters," the statement added, without disclosing the exact location. China described the test as part of its annual routine military training and said prior notification had been given to relevant countries in accordance with international law and practice. The test coincided with the start of annual joint naval exercises between China and Russia off the port city of Qingdao, though no link between the two events has been established.

This test launch is part of China's annual routine military exercises. Prior notification was sent to the countries concerned, in accordance with international law and international practices. This launch is not aimed at any country or any particular target.

International reactions

Japan said it had firmly urged China to reconsider the test before it took place, expressing "grave concerns" over the intensification of Chinese military activities and demanding that the missile not threaten Japanese security, particularly its airspace. After the launch, Australia's acting prime minister Richard Marles told reporters that China had informed Canberra of its intent only on Monday. "We are very concerned about any actions which undermine the stability, the peace, and security of the Pacific," Marles said. Foreign minister Penny Wong, speaking from Fiji, called the test "destabilising to the region" and said it was inconsistent with the Pacific Islands Forum's vision of the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace. New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters said his country was "deeply concerned" about nuclear-capable weapons tests in the South Pacific. Papua New Guinea's foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko confirmed he had been personally notified by China's ambassador.

We were informed by China today of its intention to do this test. This is a long-range missile test, and we are very concerned about any actions which undermine the stability, the peace, and security of the Pacific.

Australia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilising to the region. This proposed test is in the context of a rapid military build-up by China, which is lacking in the transparency and reassurance as to intent that the region expects.

The Pacific is an ocean of peace and we are deeply concerned by China's tests of nuclear-capable weapons in the South Pacific.

Regional context

The test is a rare demonstration of Chinese military reach into the South Pacific, a region where the United States, Australia, and New Zealand have traditionally been the dominant powers. China last conducted an ICBM test into the Pacific in September 2024. The latest launch is part of a broader Chinese military modernisation that has seen its nuclear arsenal grow to an estimated 600 warheads in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), up from 500 the previous year. The United States has repeatedly accused China of seeking to significantly expand its arsenal.