Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo has raised concerns over China’s launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, saying the region should not become a testing ground for military weapons.
In a statement issued on 8 July, the prime minister said Tuvalu shared the grave and serious concern and disappointment expressed by other Pacific leaders over the missile test.
“The Pacific region has long advocated for peace, security, and freedom from nuclear threats,” he said.
The missile, which carried a dummy warhead, was launched by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy and splashed down about 1,900 kilometres north-west of Samoa near the boundary of Tuvalu’s Exclusive Economic Zone, according to international reports.
China said the launch was part of a routine annual military training programme and was not directed at any specific country or target.
