WASHINGTON, July 7, (v7n) – The United States voiced alarm Monday over Beijing's nuclear program after China test-fired a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean, marking the latest move in its rapid military modernization .

Monday's test, which China said carried a dummy warhead and landed "precisely within designated waters," came two years after Beijing fired an ICBM into waters near French Polynesia – its first such launch over international waters in more than four decades . Analysts said the test demonstrated China's growing capacity to strike the US mainland, cementing its status as Washington's top adversary despite reconciliation efforts under President Donald Trump .

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement . "Beijing's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world," he added, urging China to "engage in meaningful arms control discussions and commit to a regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches" .

Several US allies criticised the launch. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who confirmed Canberra received advance notification, called the test "destabilizing to the region," citing China's "rapid military build-up" and "lack of transparency" . Japan also voiced "serious concerns" and said it had urged China to reconsider, while New Zealand described the development as "unwelcome" .

Taiwan's National Security Council identified the missile as a JL-2, which US experts say has a range of at least 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles), and accused China of destabilising the region . The Philippines slammed the test as a "reckless display of military power" and a "calculated act of taunting and provocation" .

China's navy spokesperson Wang Xuemeng said the test was "a routine arrangement of China's annual military training," adding that "relevant countries were informed in advance" . However, Australia and New Zealand disputed the adequacy of the notification, with Canberra noting it received only hours' notice .

Analysts said the launch signals China's progress toward a more survivable sea-based nuclear deterrent. Lyle Morris, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said such a test "would indicate that China is moving toward a significantly more survivable and longer-range sea-based nuclear deterrent capability," suggesting Beijing can now target the continental US from waters near its coast .

The missile test coincided with Australia and Fiji signing a major defense treaty, part of Canberra's efforts to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific, though analysts noted such tests are typically planned months or years in advance . Russia, a Chinese ally, defended the test as Beijing's "sovereign right," saying China "is not threatening anyone in the world" .

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