Beijing, July 6 (SANA)Chinasaid on Monday it had successfully conducted a strategic missile launch from a submarine into thePacific Oceanas part of a routine military exercise, after several countries in the region raised concerns over an anticipated intercontinentalballistic missile(ICBM) test.

Xinhua quoted theChinese navyas saying that one of its strategic nuclear submarines launched a missile carrying a test warhead toward open waters in the Pacific at 12:01 p.m. local time. The missile landed accurately in its designated maritime zone, the navy said.

The navy said the launch was part of its annual training program and that relevant countries had been notified in advance. It added that the test complied with international law and established international practice and was not directed at any specific country or target.

Earlier on Monday, Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister and a New Zealand government official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that China was preparing to test a missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads over the Pacific Ocean, adding that Beijing had informed both countries beforehand.

Japan said it had strongly urged China to reconsider the launch. In a joint statement issued before the test, Japan’s defense and foreign ministries said they had asked Beijing to ensure the missile would not pose a threat to Japan’s security, particularly if its trajectory crossedJapanese airspace.

In September 2024, China’s Rocket Force launched a dummy warhead into waters near French Polynesia in the country’s first long-range missile launch over international waters in more than 40 years.