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China test-launches ballistic missile from sub in South Pacific, drawing protests
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- China test-launched a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South Pacific, carrying a dummy warhead, as part of routine annual training compliant with international law, according to official sources.
- The launch drew criticism from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan, with concerns over its timing within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone and its potential destabilizing effect on regional security.
- The missile test coincided with the start of China-Russia joint naval exercises and came on the same day Australia and Fiji signed a mutual defense treaty aimed at countering Chinese influence in the Pacific.
- China defended the launch, urging countries not to overinterpret the test, while maintaining its "no first use" nuclear policy amid ongoing military modernization and expansion of its nuclear arsenal.
- The Pentagon reported that China’s nuclear warhead stockpile reached around 600 in 2024 and is projected to exceed 1,000 by 2030, highlighting Beijing's growing strategic capabilities.
