China fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, a move that raises concerns for those in the region.
According to a report from CNN, the move is a “rare test.” Senior Capt. Wang Xuemeng, a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, told the outlet that the PLA “launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which landed precisely within the designated waters.” He added, “This test launch was a routine part of China’s annual military training schedule,” and went on to declare that the “operation was in accordance with international law and practice, targeting no specific country or objective.”
New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters condemned the action. “Earlier today, China informed us of its plans to launch a long-range ballistic missile into the South Pacific,” Peters said. “New Zealand considers this an unwelcome and concerning development. We, like our neighbors in other Pacific countries, have no interest in China using the South Pacific as a testing site for missile capability.”
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong similarly said the move is “destabilizing to the region.”
In April, China deployed nearly 100 naval and coast guard vessels in and around the South and East China Seas. “China is continuously and persistently expanding its military capabilities, and the military threat it poses to us is becoming increasingly severe,” Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo said.
China has also moved to order 500 Boeing 737 Max jets, one of the largest commercial aircraft orders in the company’s history, reports indicated.
