Breaking: China to test ballistic missile in South Pacific

China to test ballistic missile in South Pacific Mon 6 Jul 2026 at 2:51pm China appears to be preparing to test a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead in the Pacific Ocean. The ABC has been told that the Chinese government informed governments in the region about the test earlier today. The news was first reported in The Australian, but has been confirmed by the ABC. Several Pacific nations criticised China when it last tested a ballistic missile in 2024, its first such test in the Pacific for decades. Maritime intelligence company Starboard has also published images showing that China currently has two satellite tracking vessels in the Pacific region, which would be used to monitor a test ballistic missile launch. The launch comes within hours of Australia signing a landmark defence treaty with Fiji, the Ocean of Peace alliance, which is aimed, in part, at denying Beijing a security foothold in the region. However, one source from a government in the region said China would have planned the test for months and that it likely was not a direct response to the treaty signed today. Loading