The Republic of the Marshall Islands has condemned China's recent ballistic missile test in the Pacific, saying the region should not be used to demonstrate military power.
In a statement released late Wednesday, President Hilda Heine's office said the missile launch had revived painful memories of the country's experience with nuclear testing.
Between 1946 and 1958, the United States conducted 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, leaving lasting health and environmental impacts that continue to affect the nation.
"We call on China, as we have called on every nuclear power before it, to explain its intentions in language as clear as the harm such tests can cause," the statement said.
The statement noted that although China said the missile carried a dummy warhead and described the launch as a routine military exercise, the test was deeply concerning.
