Australia confronts China over Pacific missile test

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confronted her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, over Beijing's recent test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile in the South Pacific, during a meeting on the sidelines of an ASEAN ministerial forum in Manila on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The high-level diplomatic exchange highlighted escalating regional tensions, with Australia and several Pacific nations condemning the test as destabilizing.

Wong stated she made Australia's concerns clear both publicly and directly to Wang Yi. She described the test as destabilizing and risky, emphasizing the importance of safe military conduct, transparency, and reassurance of intent in the region. The test, which occurred earlier in July, was conducted within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone and is understood to have landed near Tuvalu. Wong noted that many Pacific Island countries had expressed strong concerns about the launch.

The meeting was the first between the two diplomats since the missile test and followed Australia's condemnation of what it called China's dangerous conduct following a recent clash between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in...