China fired a strategic missile into the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone with hours' warning

China's PLA Navy launched a submarine-based ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the South Pacific on 6 July 2026. New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters said Beijing gave Wellington only hours' notice before firing into the Nuclear Free Zone, a treaty area China signed. Australia and other regional powers have protested. Beijing called it routine annual training with prior notification—in practice, barely enough time to lodge objection.