China test-launches ballistic missile from submarine into South Pacific

The launch of a nuclear-capable long-range missile from a Chinese submarine in the South Pacific with just hours of notice has angered Australia and New Zealand, who labelled the test destabilising and concerning.

Countries raise concerns after Chinese military test-launches ballistic missile from submarine in the Pacific Ocean.

China test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile with a dummy warhead in the Pacific Ocean, the first such launch in two years.

New Zealand was warned that China planned to fire a missile into the South Pacific Ocean just hours before it was launched. “"The Pacific is an Ocean of Peace and we are deeply concerned by China’s testing of nuclear-capable weapons into the South Pacific."” www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/06/d...

"China appears to be preparing to test a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead in the Pacific Ocean. The ABC has been told that the Chinese government informed governments in the region about the test earlier today." www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

If you wanted a study in the comparative weakness of state culture, then today obliged. Albo: I apologise for the shag Kylie moment to the airhead podcaster. China: hold our sub-launched missile.

NEW: NZ govt has been warned by China it will undertake a test firing of a missile in the South Pacific in the next 24 hours. The move comes just after Aus signed a new defence pact with Fiji. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...

Outrageous from the CCP, testing a nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific, which is a nuclear weapon-free zone. I’m sure they’ll want Pacific Island countries to accept that this is somehow peaceful and not any kind of threat. I doubt that message will fly www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

on the one hand I wouldn't read too much into this. it's a pretty normal thing to do if you are trying to improve your boomer ops on the other it's also kind of a signal that china's boomer ops are improving www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

China’s navy has successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile carrying a training simulation warhead from a strategic submarine into the Pacific high seas. The launch triggered swift condemnation from New Zealand, Japan, and… https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/2074011567801430343

BREAKING NEWS on the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation it’s winter and we’ve had our first dump of snow (cue children making snowmen and vehicles getting stuck) and . . . Oh that’s right, China just launched a missile into the Pacific from one of its nuclear-powered submarines! #PanicStations

...Kilo-class diesel-electric sub Ufa, Slava-class missile cruiser Varyag, Steregushchiy-class corvette Rezkiy, and Belousov-class sub rescue ship Igor Belousov arrived in Qingdao, China, on 5 July - Altay-class tanker Izhora likely arrived, too x.com/WenJian0922/... x.com/WenJian0922/...

In the debate over AUKUS, China firing missiles from nuclear submarines into the South Pacific, Can reinforce the arguments of both supporters and critics. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

So, err, China fired a nuclear capable missile earlier into the South Pacific. Dummy warhead but where did it go?

China fired a nuclear-capable missile into the South Pacific Ocean, prompting complaints from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.