China Successfully Tests Long-Range DF-31 ICBM in South Pacific Amid Global Tensions

 China has recently conducted a successful test of a long-range Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in the South Pacific. On September 25, the Ministry of Defense announced that the launch was part of a routine military exercise. It is believed that the test involved a missile from the Dongfeng-31 (DF-31) series, with an estimated range of about 13,200 kilometers.

According to French officials, the missile fell into waters under French-controlled Polynesia and was detected near the Marquesas Islands. Experts suggest that the timing of the launch—coinciding with the UN General Assembly session—was a signal from China showcasing its military capabilities amid strategic competition with the United States.

China’s intercontinental ballistic missile program began in the 1960s. The country first developed the DF-4 (7,000 km), which was technically an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). China’s first true ICBM was the liquid-fueled DF-5, with a range of around 9,000 km. Today, China’s most advanced ICBMs are the solid-fueled DF-31 (range: 7,200–13,200 km) and DF-41 (range: 12,000–15,000 km).

Before the test, China notified the United States and France but did not inform Japan, Australia, or New Zealand, prompting concerns from those nations. Japan stated that the missile did not enter its airspace but reaffirmed that it remains cautious about China’s growing military power. Australia called the launch “deeply concerning,” while New Zealand described it as “unexpected and alarming.”

Currently, only a few countries in the world possess ICBM technology—namely the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, and North Korea. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, China possesses approximately 500–600 nuclear warheads and at least 350 ICBMs of various ranges and capabilities.

The Pentagon estimates that by 2030, China’s number of nuclear and thermonuclear warheads could reach around 1,000. Although this remains far below the stockpiles of the United States and Russia, China’s growing modernization of its nuclear forces reflects its broader ambition for global military prominence.