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China Conducts Long-Range Missile Test in South Pacific
A PLA Navy submarine launched the dummy-warhead missile at 12:01 p.m. local time into designated high-seas waters. Australia and New Zealand condemned the action hours after signing a defense pact with Fiji.
The GuardianAudio version
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China conducted a long-range missile test in the South Pacific on 2026-07-06. The PLA Navy strategic nuclear submarine launched the missile carrying a dummy warhead at 12:01 p.m. local time, which landed in designated high-seas waters, Xinhua reported.
China had notified relevant countries in advance that the test would occur within the next 24 hours after the morning of 2026-07-06. Australia and Fiji signed the Ocean of Peace defence alliance hours before the launch. The pact commits the two nations to mutual aid in the event of an attack and remains open to other countries.
Australia’s acting prime minister Richard Marles said China informed his country on 2026-07-06 of the planned test. Australian foreign minister Penny Wong stated the test was “destabilising” to the region. ” Australia’s assistant foreign minister Matt Thistlethwaite said concerns had been conveyed to the Chinese government in both Beijing and Canberra.
New Zealand noted the launch occurred into the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone. Three Chinese satellite-tracking vessels supported the test, with two departing China around 25 June 2026 and one in early May 2026; two were near the Federated States of Micronesia and one was in Suva, Fiji, on 2026-07-06. China’s last intercontinental ballistic missile test occurred in 2024.
Xinhua described the event as a “routine arrangement” of annual military training.
