China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) successfully conducted a test launch of a strategic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, July 6, 2026. The launch, which involved a dummy warhead, was described by Beijing as a routine part of its annual military training. This event marks a significant military exercise, following China's previous intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test into the Pacific in September 2024.
The New York Times reported the launch as "the first of its kind in almost two years, raising concerns." Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, a spokesperson for the PLA Navy, stated that the submarine "launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which landed precisely within the designated waters." He added that "relevant nations" were informed in advance and that the operation was in accordance with international law.
However, the test quickly drew criticism from regional powers. New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, called the development "unwelcome and concerning," emphasizing that the Pacific should not be used as a missile testing site. He noted that China had informed New Zealand of its plans to launch a long-range ballistic missile into the South Pacific.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong echoed these sentiments, describing the test as "destabilizing to the region" and highlighting China's rapid military buildup. Japan also expressed "expressed serious concerns regarding China's increasingly active military activities." The missile landed in waters some sources suggest are within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, established by the Treaty of Rarotonga.
The July 2026 SLBM launch builds on China's expanding nuclear deterrence capabilities, complementing its land-based ICBMs. Analysts note that while China maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy, its modernization efforts increasingly support a more responsive retaliatory posture. The previous ICBM test in September 2024, a DF-31B, was China's first long-range missile launch over international waters in more than four decades, underscoring a growing pattern of such exercises.
