China Tests Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile in Pacific
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- China launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from the South China Sea on July 6, flying approximately 4,500 miles before splashing down near the Solomon Islands, marking its first full-range SLBM test in decades.
- PLA Navy described the launch as a 'routine arrangement' of annual training, stating it complied with international law and was not directed at any country, while issuing NOTAMs for the flight path 30 minutes prior.
- China issued a second NOTAM for a potential missile launch from the Bohai Sea, suggesting it may have been testing command-and-control systems across both northern and southern submarine bastions simultaneously.
- U.S. and regional allies criticized the test as provocative, with the Australian prime minister calling it escalatory, despite China’s advance notification and non-confrontational flight path.
- China’s military faces internal pressure to demonstrate capability to political leadership following anti-corruption purges that removed top generals, including one accused of leaking nuclear secrets to the United States.
Why it matters: China’s test proves its sea-based nuclear deterrent is advancing beyond theory, giving Beijing a more credible second-strike capability. The move reassures its leadership while challenging regional stability, even as it adheres to technical norms like NOTAMs—offering a narrow opening for future crisis communication.
