By AFP and Focus | 2026-07-07

BEIJING -- A Chinese submarine test-fired a "strategic" missile carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean on July 6, Beijing said, drawing immediate condemnation from nations in the region.

New Zealand described the test as involving a nuclear-capable "long-range ballistic missile," but China's Defense and Foreign ministries did not confirm whether their military had used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The test came two years after China's elite Rocket Force fired an ICBM into the sea near French Polynesia, its first launch of such a missile over international waters in more than 40 years.

A nuclear submarine launched a "strategic missile carrying a training simulation warhead" at 12.01pm local time, a Chinese navy statement said, adding that it had "accurately land(ed) in the designated sea area."

Alex Luck, a naval analyst focused on Chinese military modernization, told AFP that the missile could have been the submarine-launched JL-3 ICBM, an extended-range variant of China's JL-2.

China showcased the JL-3 at a military parade in Beijing last September.

However, Luck said it was "equally plausible" that China tested a JL-2.

Chinese naval spokesperson Wang Xuemeng said in the statement shared on WeChat that the test launch was "a routine arrangement of China's annual military training," and that "relevant countries were informed in advance."

The test took place two hours after China informed Pacific nations of the launch, said New Zealand.

Nuclear buildup

The United States voiced alarm over the test, calling it part of China's rapid military modernization.

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. "Beijing's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world.

"We continue to urge China to engage in meaningful arms control discussions," he added.

The missile demonstrated China has growing options beyond firing from land, said Lyle Morris, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

"A test of this length is a major development and would indicate that China is moving toward a significantly more survivable and longer-range sea-based nuclear deterrent capability," he said.

China made the rare show of its military might on the same day Australia and Fiji signed a major defense treaty. They bolstered their ties as Canberra seeks to outmaneuver Beijing in the strategically important South Pacific.

At the same time, China has been seeking to increase its influence in the Pacific, showering islands with new hospitals and stadiums and freshly paved roads.

Regional backlash

"The Pacific is an Ocean of Peace and we are deeply concerned by China's testing of nuclear-capable weapons into the South Pacific," New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement, adding that the launch "is not consistent with regional stability."

Australia called the launch "destabilizing." It came "in the context of a rapid military buildup by China, which is lacking in the transparency and reassurance as to intent that the region expects," said Foreign Minister Penny Wong, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Japan said it had "expressed serious concerns," and Taiwan maintained that China "is deliberately demonstrating its military might, escalating tensions in the region."

The Philippines, which has clashed repeatedly with China over territory in the disputed South China Sea, slammed the test as a "reckless display of military power."

"This launch … is a calculated act of taunting and provocation against those who reject China's illegal expansionism and coercive conduct," the country's defense department said in a statement.

Russia, a Chinese ally, defended Beijing's test-firing as its "sovereign right."

Asked about the reactions, China's Foreign Ministry said the launch was "not directed at any specific country or target."

"It is hoped that relevant countries will not overinterpret this," ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters.

Chinese military buildup

Beijing has stepped up its nuclear development and boosted military spending in recent years.

According to the Pentagon, China held more than 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023 and is likely to have more than 1,000 by 2030.

Beijing test-fired the missile on the same day that it began annual joint naval exercises with Russia off Qingdao, a military port and seaside resort in China's east.

"The participating warships will proceed to the sea near Qingdao to conduct drills in areas such as joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, as well as training in the actual use of weapons," state news agency Xinhua said.

More Chinese testing expected

New Zealand's Peters said after the launch that his government was concerned "this now seems to be a recurring pattern."

In the 2024 ICBM test near French Polynesia, China apparently used one of its advanced Dong Feng-31 missiles, analysts said at the time. It is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. It splashed into part of the ocean long designated a nuclear-free zone under an international treaty.

The Chinese submarine fleet has undergone "a significant push for modernization and expansion," said Luck. "In line with this trend we should expect a significant increase in missile testing."