China in a rare public test, fired Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, amid rising tension with the US and other regional allies.
According to CNN, the Chinese Defence Ministry, without disclosing the flight path and landing location, stated that the country launched the ICBM at 8:44 a.m. Beijing time, which successfully landed on the designated area in the high seas.
As per the ministry, the launch was part of the annual routine training of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, and no country was targeted in this.
Moreover, the state media Xinhua reported that relevant countries were notified in advance about the ICBM test, and the launch “effectively tested the performance of weapons and equipment as well as the training level of the troops and achieved the expected objectives.
The launch of ballistic missiles came after China and Russia conducted joint naval exercises in the sea near Japan.
To note, it was the first time in more than four decades when China publically announced the ICBM test in the Pacific Ocean.
China last time celebrated the successful launch of its first ICBM, the DF-5, into the South Pacific in 1080 since then, it has been conducting all the tests quietly. Experts believe that Beijing has announced the test launch of the missile as a “powerful signal intended to intimidate everyone.”
