China Test-Fires ICBM in Rare Pacific Launch

On 25th September 2024, China conducted a rare intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in the Pacific Ocean, raising tensions in a region already fraught with overlapping territorial claims and competing U.S.-China influence.

Key Points

Routine Missile Test: China's Defence Ministry stated that the launch was part of routine training by the Rocket Force of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and was not directed at any specific country or target.
Location and Purpose: The missile, carrying a dummy warhead, landed in a designated area in the Pacific, though the exact location was not disclosed. The last time China launched an ICBM into international waters was in 1980.
Significance of Pacific Launch: Experts believe the test in the Pacific was meant to showcase China's growing nuclear capabilities and serve as a warning to the U.S. and its allies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Regional Tensions: The test comes amid heightened tensions with U.S. allies Japan and the Philippines, as well as ongoing frictions with Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its territory.
Timing with Global Events: The missile test coincided with the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, sending a strong signal to the international community about China's willingness to use its military power for deterrence.
China’s Nuclear Arsenal: A 2023 U.S. Department of Defence report estimated that China has over 500 operational nuclear warheads and is projected to accumulate more than 1,000 by 2030, though China has not officially disclosed its arsenal size.