China pushes back on US-led call for advance notice of future missile tests

By Mary Lyn Fonua
Chinese diplomats have pushed back on a joint statement signed by 40 countries, following a Chinese SLBM missile test in the Pacific Islands, with Australia, New Zealand, the Marshall Islands and Palau joining a US-led call for advance notice for future launches.
The Chinese say there is a double standard in the demands.
China tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into the Pacific Ocean on July 6, 2026. The missile carried a dummy warhead and landed in international open waters in the South Pacific.
The US-led statement of 11 August called for "all relevant countries" to commit to providing no less than 24 hours' notice of launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles to affected nations.
Ambassador Li Chijiang, China’s Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs at a Conference on Disarmament last week said the US demand had no legal basis, because the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (“HCOC”) is not a universally joined mechanism. “China, as a non-member of the HCOC, is not bound by it.”
However, he said that 24 hours prior to China’s test launch in July this year, China had provided pre-launch notifications to other nuclear-weapon states, including the U.S., Russia, the U.K., and France, as well as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific island countries around the missile impact area.
To date, China has conducted only three ICBM launch tests.
He alleged that “The U.S. has conducted over 300 ICBM test launches and about 200 SLBM test launches, and most of its ICBM test launches have taken place in the Pacific Ocean.
“But the U.S. has not provided China with advance notifications in recent years, except on only one occasion.”
Regional response
The only regional signatories to the US-led statement were Palau, which is hosting the Pacific Islands Forum in September, the Marshall Islands, Australia and New Zealand.
Tonga did not sign the US-led statement and, like other Pacific Islands states, has not overtly criticised the Chinese missile test, while making carefully crafted diplomatic statements..
On 23 July Tonga's Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua highlighted China's duty in Pacific countries to ensure our shared regional environment is one that is “safe and secure”.
He was speaking at a reception in Nuku'alofa to celebrate the 99th anniversary of Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
Lord Fakafanua said Tonga and the People's Republic of China had enduring diplomatic relations and long standing partnership.
“These ever-shifting ties embody the partnership, its resilience, and transformation while also highlighting China's growing duty in Pacific countries, like Tonga, to ensure our shared regional environment is one that is safe and secure, especially where international peacekeeping and humanitarian support prevails.”
He said Tonga was committed to peaceful dialogue and principled multilateralism, whether through the Pacific Islands Forum, or the United Nations.
“Such multilateral and regional institutions are needed now more than ever. The global uncertainties of today demand that these are the cornerstones of our foreign engagement,” Lord Fakafanua said.
At the function hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Tonga, Ambassador H.E. Liu Weimin, said that China respected the aspirations of regional countries to maintain the South Pacific as a nuclear free zone.

Facts Only

* China tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in the Pacific Ocean on July 6, 2026.
* The missile carried a dummy warhead and landed in international open waters in the South Pacific.
* The US-led statement of August 11 called for "all relevant countries" to commit to providing no less than 24 hours' notice for ICBM and SLBM launches to affected nations.
* Ambassador Li Chijiang stated the US demand lacked legal basis because the HCOC is not universally joined, and China is not bound by it as a non-member.
* China provided pre-launch notifications to the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific island countries around the missile impact area prior to the July test.
* China has conducted only three ICBM launch tests to date.
* The US has reportedly conducted over 300 ICBM test launches and about 200 SLBM test launches, mostly in the Pacific Ocean.
* Regional signatories to the US statement were Palau, the Marshall Islands, Australia, and New Zealand.
* Tonga did not sign the US-led statement but highlighted China's duty to ensure a safe and secure regional environment.

Executive Summary

Chinese diplomats have pushed back on a joint statement signed by 40 countries following a Chinese SLBM missile test in the Pacific Islands, with Australia, New Zealand, the Marshall Islands, and Palau joining a US-led call for advance notice for future launches. China contested the US demand, arguing there is a double standard, asserting that the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) is not a universally joined mechanism, meaning China is not bound by it as a non-member. However, China noted that prior to its test launch in July, it had provided pre-launch notifications to other nuclear-weapon states and several Pacific nations regarding the test area. China also highlighted that the United States has conducted significantly more ICBM and SLBM tests than China, yet has not provided similar advance notifications recently. Regional signatories to the US statement included Palau, the Marshall Islands, Australia, and New Zealand, while Tonga did not sign the statement but made diplomatic statements emphasizing regional security and multilateralism.

Full Take

The narrative presents a fundamental tension between established international norms (like advance notice protocols) and specific state interests, complicated by asymmetrical capabilities and diplomatic status. The core conflict pivots on the legitimacy of unilateral demands versus the assertion of non-membership in multilateral frameworks, exemplified by China's position regarding the HCOC. This dynamic suggests that security expectations are filtered through the lens of existing treaty structures rather than universal agreement. Furthermore, the regional response reveals a complex balancing act: some nations actively support calls for greater security assurances, while others engage in carefully calibrated diplomacy that emphasizes enduring bilateral relationships and multilateral institutions as means to secure localized stability. The pattern of invocation—demanding transparency from the US while simultaneously invoking non-membership status—suggests a strategic effort to redefine the parameters of accountability based on perceived status rather than strict adherence to established shared rules. The persistence of diplomatic appeals, even amid regional uncertainty, points toward a reliance on soft power and institutional frameworks as the primary levers for managing security environments.

Sentinel — Human

Confidence

This article appears to be a standard piece of geopolitical reporting, relying on reported statements and events, suggesting human journalistic origin rather than purely synthetic generation.

Signals Detected

Sentence length variance is natural; the text shifts effectively between direct reporting and diplomatic commentary.

The text manages complex cross-border diplomatic positions (China's defense claims vs. US demands) with a clear, albeit adversarial, narrative flow.

Attribution is specific (Ambassador Li Chijiang, Lord Fakafanua) and the structure flows logically from an event to a diplomatic rebuttal to regional context.

The claims rely on specific events (July 6, 2026 test), legal references (HCOC), and named diplomatic figures, which suggest grounding in reported events rather than pure fabrication.

Human Indicators

The text exhibits a specific voice inherent to geopolitical reporting, particularly in how it frames diplomatic disagreement. The integration of specific quotes from named diplomats suggests direct sourcing.

The transition between the main conflict (SLBM test) and the regional reaction is handled with rhetorical nuance that goes beyond pure informational recitation.