As China's military test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the open Pacific on July 6, drawing international alarm and condemnation, Beijing insisted the launch guaranteed peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Pictured is China's military launching an intercontinental ballistic missile into Pacific waters in September 2024. [Chinese military Weibo]
As China's military test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the open Pacific on July 6, drawing international alarm and condemnation, Beijing insisted the launch guaranteed peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Pictured is China's military launching an intercontinental ballistic missile into Pacific waters in September 2024. [Chinese military Weibo]

As countries across the Asia-Pacific condemned China's test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into the open Pacific on Monday, Beijing pushed back, claiming the launch was a measure guaranteeing peace and stability in the region.

The Global Times, an English-language newspaper affiliated with the People's Daily — the official organ of the Chinese Communist Party — published a commentary Tuesday arguing that "the successful test launch of this strategic missile not only demonstrates to the world China's will and capability to defend its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, but also provides a strong guarantee for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

"The stronger China's second-strike nuclear capability becomes, the greater its nuclear deterrence role," the paper said, describing the capability as "a fundamental means of countering nuclear deterrence and nuclear blackmail by certain countries, and an important link in preventing nuclear war."

The Global Times also highlighted that China had notified relevant countries of the launch in advance, calling it "a goodwill gesture taken to proactively reduce the risk of miscalculation" and "a rational and lawful act that fully demonstrates the sense of responsibility of a major power." China gave neighboring countries just 30 minutes' notice before the missile was fired.

The outlet labeled as "neo-militarism" moves by the United States and Japan — including the buildup of multilateral security frameworks such as AUKUS and Japan's push to increase defense spending and revise its pacifist constitution — and framed the missile test as a defensive, self-protective measure.

It further argued that "in the Taiwan Strait, collusion between external forces and 'Taiwan independence' forces is raising the risk of regional conflict, while in the South China Sea, extra-regional countries are conducting reconnaissance and patrol activities to stoke maritime disputes." The paper said the nuclear deterrence demonstrated by the test would "compel external forces and their followers to abandon attempts to coerce China into concessions through military pressure and preemptive strikes."

China also claimed that most criticism of the launch had come only from working-level officials, arguing this showed "that China's actions leave no room for condemnation and that China's peaceful conduct in recent years has earned the trust of the international community."

Those claims stood in sharp contrast to the official responses from governments across the region. Tommy Pigott, a Department of State spokesperson, said the United States was working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation while "China is moving in the opposite direction," adding that "China's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is causing serious concern in the region and around the world." Pigott urged China to "engage in meaningful arms control discussions in line with the commitments made by the other five permanent members of the UN Security Council."

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru, the government's chief spokesperson, told a regular briefing Monday that "China's military trends, due to a lack of transparency, are becoming a serious concern for Japan and the international community." Kihara said the launch had prompted the government to accelerate revision of Japan's three core security documents — the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Plan — within the year under the Takaichi administration. A revision of those documents could open the door to expanded defense capabilities and a higher defense budget, and could also lead to changes to Japan's three non-nuclear principles, which prohibit the country from producing, possessing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.

In Australia, Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the launch shortly after it took place Monday, calling it "destabilizing behavior" for the region.

Taiwan was particularly sharp in its criticism. Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui said China had "been continuously escalating military pressure in the area of the island chain and is now threatening the international community with an intercontinental ballistic missile test launch." She said Taiwan "strongly condemns this series of unilateral acts."

There were also concerns in Taiwan that the test could indirectly burden US willingness to intervene in Taiwan's defense. Lin Ying-yu, a professor at Tamkang University, said the missile "will not be used to directly attack Taiwan," explaining that "its primary purpose is to build nuclear deterrence against the United States, which will cause the US to reconsider its future intervention in the Taiwan Strait."

Su Tzu-yun, director of the Defense Strategy and Resources Research Division at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the missile used in the test was likely the JL-3, which has the range to reach the continental United States. He said the missile would be difficult to use against Taiwan with a nuclear warhead because it could contaminate China's own coastline, but that it "can more forcefully signal China's determination to obstruct US defense of Taiwan." He added that the test could create new obstacles for joint US-Taiwan defense.


kate01@heraldcorp.com