Beijing, 06 July (H.S.):

China on Monday successfully conducted a long-range ballistic missile test from one of its strategic nuclear submarines in the South Pacific Ocean. According to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the launch was part of its routine annual military training programme and was carried out in accordance with international laws and regulations.

According to France 24 and China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, citing the PLA Navy, the strategic missile equipped with a dummy warhead was launched at 12:01 p.m. towards an open area of the Pacific Ocean. The missile reportedly landed in a designated maritime zone as planned. China said the test was not directed against any country or specific target and that the relevant countries had been notified in advance.

The missile test, however, triggered concern and criticism from several countries in the region. The New Zealand government said it had been informed of the planned launch only a few hours before the test took place. It also noted that the missile was tested within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, established under the 1986 Treaty of Rarotonga.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said concerns had previously been raised over military activities in the region, but China had provided only limited advance notice before carrying out the launch.

Australia also voiced concern over the development. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country viewed such missile tests as a challenge to regional stability. She made the remarks in Fiji, where Australia and Fiji signed a new defence cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening security collaboration across the Pacific region.

China has previously conducted long-range missile tests in the Pacific. Defence analysts believe that such military activities in the South Pacific could reignite debate over regional security, strategic balance, and the growing military competition in the Indo-Pacific.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar