China has tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the Pacific Ocean for the first time. It has been criticised by its ‘neighbours’
This is according to Bloomberg.
Analysts note that this is the first ballistic missile launch of its kind. Previously, in 2024, Beijing launched an intercontinental missile into the Pacific Ocean for the first time in 40 years. The weapons test was condemned in Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
China stated that it had notified all countries of the missile launch. However, as reported by Bloomberg, Japan says it only learnt of the test the following day.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the launch as destabilising for the region, whilst New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters noted that his country had been warned just a few hours before the launch.
“Japan has conveyed its serious concern regarding China’s increasingly active military activities and has strongly urged China to review its practice of conducting ballistic missile launch drills in a manner that could threaten Japan’s security,” — the country’s Cabinet stated.
“New Zealand considers this an undesirable and worrying development. We are also concerned that this now appears to be a recurring trend on China’s part,” Peters emphasised.
According to Bloomberg, Beijing has recently significantly ramped up the pace of its missile production. Analysts have now recorded the largest surge in output since Xi Jinping came to power in 2013.
As a reminder, it was previously reported that China had called on Ukraine and Russia to resume peace talks as soon as possible.
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