China conducts ICBM test launch over Pacific Ocean... "First time in 44 years"

The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force of China reportedly succeeded in test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on the 25th.

According to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency, the Rocket Force launched one ICBM equipped with a training dummy warhead into the international waters of the Pacific Ocean at 8:44 a.m. that day, and the ICBM accurately landed in the designated area. However, the report did not disclose the specifications of the ICBM, its flight trajectory, or the exact impact location.

The report explained that this ICBM launch was part of the Rocket Force's annual military training schedule, effectively testing the performance of weapons and equipment to achieve the intended objectives.

DF-31A ICBM of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that it had notified relevant countries in advance about the test launch, emphasizing that it was conducted in accordance with international law and customary international practice, and was not aimed at any specific country or target. Japan's public broadcaster NHK cited sources saying that China had informed the United States and Australia beforehand about the launch exercise, and that the ICBM likely fell into international waters near Australia.

Experts evaluated this announcement as unusual, noting that China has traditionally preferred to conduct unannounced test launches of long-range missiles in remote areas such as Inner Mongolia. According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP), this is the first time in 44 years since the 1980 Dongfeng (DF)-5 that China has test-fired an ICBM into the Pacific Ocean.