China on Wednesday publicly announced for the first time a successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, in a move described by military analysts as a strategic show of power.
The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched by the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force at 8.44am local time and “fell into expected sea areas,” the Chinese defence ministry said in a statement.
It added that it was a “routine arrangement in our annual training plan” and not directed at any country or target.
But the launch comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region over China’s nuclear build-up and expansionist ambitions that have been creating potential flashpoints with neighbouring countries including Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines.
“Timing is everything.This launch is a powerful signal intended to intimidate everyone,” said Drew Thompson, a former US defence official and now senior fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the launch “effectively tested the performance of weapons and equipment and the training level of the troops and achieved the expected goal”.
Mr Thompson said the test was a “capability demonstration” with the very practical purpose of measuring the missile’s performance but he described the timing as “more strategic than tactical”.
He added: “It’s a signal that China has capabilities beyond what it has already brought to bear. It’s demonstrating that it has acted with a degree of restraint and that there are limits to its forbearance and its tolerance.”
The PLA Rocket Force, which oversees the country’s conventional and nuclear missiles, has been tasked with modernising China’s nuclear forces.