According to the magazine Air et Cosmos, China fired an unloaded “nuclear missile” from the island of Hainan into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday September 25. The missile landed near French Polynesia, 700 kilometers from Nuku Hiva and 875 kilometers from Bora Bora.
On Wednesday, China carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile test in the Pacific. This is the first time since the 1980s. Air et Cosmos, a French magazine specializing in aviation and space, reports that
the simulated nuclear warhead was located not far from French Polynesia. 700 kilometers from Nuku Hiva and 875 kilometers from Bora Bora”.
Protests from countries in the region
The armed forces “successfully fired an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a dummy training warhead on the high seas of the Pacific Ocean at 08:44 (00:44 GMT) on September 25. It fell precisely within the predetermined sea area”, announced the Ministry of Defense in Beijing.
According to the Chinese authorities, “this missile launch is part of the annual routine training program”, it “complies with international law and practices, and is not aimed at any specific country or target”.
The missile launch drew protests from regional countries such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand. These countries are concerned about China’s military build-up.
It comes against a backdrop of international tensions, with the Indo-Pacific axis playing a major role.
