China has conducted a long-range missile test in the Pacific, in a move the Australian government has condemned as “destabilising to the region”.

A ⁠test missile topped with ‌a ‌dummy warhead landed ‌in “designated waters” of the Pacific, China’s state news agency Xinhua ‌reported on Monday. The missile test was a “routine arrangement” of China’s annual ⁠military training, with prior notification to relevant countries, Xinhua said.

The exact location of the test was, at time of writing, unknown.

Australia’s acting prime minister Richard Marles said China had only informed his country today of its plans to conduct a long-range missile test in the Pacific region, with reports that it was a nuclear-capable device with a dummy warhead.

On Monday afternoon, Marles told a press conference: “we were informed by China today of its intention to do this test.”

“This is a long-range missile test, and we are very concerned about any actions which undermine the stability, the peace, and security of the Pacific,” he said.

Xinhua reported soon after that the test had been conducted.

“The PLA Navy said that one strategic nuclear submarine of the navy on Monday noon (sic) successfully launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which landed precisely within the designated waters,” Xinhua reported online.

In a separate press conference, the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, said she would “leave it to China to speak to its intent” but that Australia had been aware of a Chinese task group in the region “for some time”.

“I can confirm that the Australian government has been advised by the government of the People’s Republic of China of their intent to conduct a sea-based missile test into the Pacific. Australia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilising to the region,” Wong said from Fiji, where she is travelling with prime minister Anthony Albanese.

“Australia has been clear that this proposal, this proposed test, is in the context of a rapid military build-up by China, which is lacking in the transparency and reassurance as to intent, that the region expects. I would make this point, the Pacific Islands Forum leaders have made clear that they want the Pacific to be an Ocean of Peace. We believe this test is inconsistent with that objective.”

Wong would not confirm whether Australia had been informed about the missile’s potential nuclear capability, but said it was a “a sea-based missile test.” On Monday afternoon she said Australia had been informed the test would be “within the next 24 hours.”

The test reportedly occurred around that same time.

The ⁠test comes after Australia and Fiji signed a major defence alliance earlier in the day, committing each country to come ⁠to the other’s aid in case either is attacked.

The Chinese embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in 2024, a rare event that highlighted the country’s increasing military capabilities.

Data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, a New Zealand ship-tracking company, showed three Chinese satellite-tracking vessels positioned ‌throughout the Pacific.

Two vessels departed China around June 25 and currently sit near the Federated States of Micronesia. The third departed China in early May and is currently at harbour in Fiji’s capital, Suva.

“These vessels carry large satellite dishes used to track missile launches and other space activity and are likely in the Pacific to collect data from the ⁠missile test China has reportedly notified regional governments to expect within 24 hours,” said Mark Douglas, an analyst for Starboard.

Noting the departure times of the Chinese vessels, he added, “This test has ‌been planned well in advance. That said, the notification landing the day after Australia and Fiji signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance is interesting, to say the least.”

Reuters contributed to this report