China's second Pacific missile test signals growing military activity

China tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the South Pacific on 6 July 2026, with New Zealand given only hours' notice. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said it breached the Treaty of Rarotonga, which declared the region nuclear-free. This is the second such test in two years—China also tested an intercontinental missile in September 2024. Both were announced as routine exercises. Pacific Island nations, including Kiribati, protested the earlier launch.