China Conducts Rare ICBM Test in Pacific, Raising Regional Tensions

The launch, part of routine training, marks the first such test in over 40 years and underscores China's growing military capabilities.

The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.
China's defense ministry stated the test was part of routine annual training and not aimed at any specific country or target.
This is the first publicly acknowledged ICBM test by China in international waters since 1980, raising concerns among neighboring countries and global powers.
The test comes amid heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, with China increasingly assertive in territorial disputes involving Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
China's nuclear arsenal is rapidly expanding, with the Pentagon estimating it will exceed 1,000 operational warheads by 2030.