China’s test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific has triggered sharp reactions from the United States and several Indo-Pacific nations, with Washington accusing Beijing of rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal while regional governments described the launch as destabilising and provocative.The missile, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched on Monday as part of what Beijing called routine annual military training.It marked China’s second publicly acknowledged long-range missile launch into the Pacific in two years and comes amid intensifying strategic competition between China and the United States.
US accuses China of expanding nuclear arsenal
The United States criticised Beijing’s growing nuclear programme following the test.“At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite,” US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said, according to news agency AFP.He said Beijing’s “rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world” and urged China to engage in meaningful arms control talks and establish regular notification arrangements for intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches.
Indo-Pacific countries voice concern
Several regional countries reacted strongly to the launch.The Philippines called it a “reckless display of military power” and said the missile launch served “no peaceful purpose” but was instead “a calculated act of taunting and provocation” against countries resisting China’s expansionist policies.Taiwan’s National Security Council secretary-general Joseph Wu identified the missile as a JL-2 and said it flew over the Philippines before landing in the Pacific. “China just proved itself again to be a bully on the block,” Wu wrote on X.Australia described the launch as “destabilising to the region”, while Japan expressed “serious concerns” over China’s expanding military activities and urged Beijing to rethink such missile tests.New Zealand said it had received advance notification only a few hours before the launch and noted that the missile was fired into the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone established under the Treaty of Rarotonga.Meanwhile, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale said he had lodged a “strong protest” with Chinese diplomats on behalf of Pacific nations concerned about the test.Russia, however, defended Beijing, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying missile testing was China’s “sovereign right” and insisting that “China is not threatening anyone in the world.”
Why China’s missile test matters
The launch is being viewed by analysts as a significant milestone in China’s military modernisation because it demonstrates the growing capability of its submarine-based nuclear deterrent.According to news agency AP, experts said the test was the first publicly acknowledged long-range ballistic missile launch from one of China’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines into the Pacific, signalling that Beijing’s nuclear deterrence is no longer centred solely on land-based missiles.AFP quoted Asia Society Policy Institute senior fellow Lyle Morris as saying the test indicates China is moving towards a “significantly more survivable and longer-range sea-based nuclear deterrent capability.”“It shows that China’s navy is capable of targeting the continental United States from bastions close to Chinese waters,” Morris said.The launch also comes as the Pentagon estimates China possesses around 600 nuclear warheads and remains on track to exceed 1,000 by 2030.
Strategic rivalry intensifies in the Pacific
The missile test coincided with a series of security initiatives involving Australia and Pacific Island nations.Australia and the Solomon Islands agreed to continue negotiations on a comprehensive security treaty a day after the missile launch, while Canberra has also recently signed defence agreements with Fiji and Vanuatu as it seeks to counter China’s growing influence across the Pacific.Although Chinese officials insisted the launch complied with international law and was “not directed against any country or target”, Beijing’s expanding military capabilities continue to draw scrutiny from the US and its regional allies, who view the Pacific as an increasingly important arena in the strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing.
