China conducted a test launch of a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South Pacific. The incident took place on Monday at 12:01 p.m. and involved a missile carrying a dummy warhead. This information comes from a report by the official Xinhua News Agency.

The missile test was part of China’s routine annual training. Officials stated it complied with international laws and practices, with no specific country or target in mind. A similar test occurred two years ago, involving an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Pacific.

While the launch mirrors testing practices seen in the United States, it drew criticism from several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The New Zealand government reported being notified only a few hours in advance. They expressed concerns as the test occurred in the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, established by the 1986 Treaty of Rarotonga. This treaty restricts nuclear activities in the region, and China is a signatory, having pledged not to test nuclear weapons there.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters voiced disapproval of China’s timing, despite ongoing concerns about such activities. The test coincided with the signing of a mutual defense treaty between Australia and Fiji, meant to address Chinese influence in the Pacific. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong labeled the test as destabilizing to the region.

Japan also expressed security concerns, noting that its embassy in Beijing was informed by Chinese authorities before the launch. Japan urged China to reconsider, citing potential security threats if the missile’s trajectory affected Japan’s airspace, as reported by the AFP news agency.

China maintains a fleet of six ballistic-missile submarines alongside 59 nuclear-powered attack submarines, according to the Washington-based think tank, Nuclear Threat Initiative.