Key facts
- China provided only a few hours' notice to the U.S. before a July 6 ballistic missile test.
- The notification to the U.S. lacked sufficient detail, according to a State Department official.
- Japan received a vague notice about "space debris" on July 5, which was clarified as a missile test 90 minutes before launch on July 6.
- The missile test was described by China as routine military training, but it occurred amid concerns over China's nuclear buildup.
- The missile launched was likely the JL-3, with an estimated range of 10,000-14,000 km, capable of reaching most of the continental United States.
China provided the United States with only a few hours' notice and insufficient detail before conducting a ballistic missile test on July 6, according to a U.S. State Department official. This notification fell considerably short of the standards adopted by other P5 nuclear weapon states, the official stated.
The test occurred amid concerns over China's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup, which is a significant worry for the region. State media reported that China's military test-fired a missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, drawing criticism from the U.S., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
Japan's Coast Guard initially received word on July 5 of a designated zone south of Shionomisaki due to "the fall of space debris," which included part of Japan's exclusive economic zone. It was only about 90 minutes before the launch on July 6 that China's Ministry of National Defense informed Japan's embassy in Beijing that the earlier notice pertained to a ballistic missile launch. Japan responded by conveying "serious concern" over intensifying Chinese military activity and formally requested that China reconsider such tests to ensure they do not threaten Japan's security.
Based on public information, the missile was likely the JL-3, China's third-generation submarine-launched ballistic missile, with an estimated range of 10,000 to 14,000 km, capable of reaching most of the continental United States. The announcement described the launch as routine military training, in line with international law and practice, and not directed against any specific country.