China’s Missile Test and Regional Defense Alliances

China recently test fired a long-range ballistic missile with a dummy warhead in the Pacific Ocean. This marked the first such launch in two years. The missile was launched from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine. According to Xinhua, China’s official news agency, the missile accurately landed in its designated area. The launch occurred at 12:01 p.m. Beijing time. It was reportedly not aimed at any specific country or target.

Details about the missile’s landing site remain unclear. The launch took place as Australia and Fiji announced a mutual defense treaty and a regional security alliance. This is part of a broader series of agreements by Canberra with Pacific Island nations. These agreements are widely seen as efforts to counter China’s influence in the region.

Governments in the region received advance notice of the missile test. The last test occurred in September 2024. During that event, China fired an intercontinental ballistic missile with a dummy warhead across the Pacific Ocean, near French Polynesia. This was the first time in over four decades that China publicly announced testing an ICBM in the Pacific region.