China tells critics not to 'overinterpret' Pacific missile test as US, Australia condemn
Beijing defends its recent ballistic missile launch as routine, while the United States and Australia call it destabilizing and say it violated international law by providing insufficient notice.
China has conducted a test launch of a strategic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean, according to state news agency Xinhua. The missile carried a dummy warhead. The launch has drawn sharp criticism from the United States and Australia.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, stated that the test was part of annual military training, complied with international law, and was not directed at any specific country. She urged nations not to "over-interpret" the event and claimed that relevant countries were notified in advance.
However, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott called on China to engage in arms control talks and expressed concern over Beijing's rapid and opaque nuclear buildup. Australian minister Pat Conroy said the test was not consistent with the Hague Convention, which requires more notice and information. He confirmed that the warning came only hours before the launch and described the test as destabilizing.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles noted that the test demonstrates China's growing capability to deploy nuclear weapons over long distances. He added that the location was "not particularly close" to Australia. Taiwan's national security official Joseph Wu released a map allegedly showing the missile's trajectory and called the test a provocation that destabilizes the Indo-Pacific region.
