China's missile test raises concern for New Zealand
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on 6 July 2026 that China told New Zealand about a missile test only hours before it happened. He said the government is "deeply concerned" about it.
China's state news agency reported that the Chinese military tested a missile launched from a submarine. The missile landed in a set area of the Pacific Ocean with a dummy warhead. China said the test was routine and part of its regular military training.
But Peters said New Zealand wasn't given enough warning. The test happened "within hours of informing us," he said.
Peters said the missile landed in an area called the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone — a region where nuclear weapons and testing are banned under a treaty New Zealand signed. He said China's action breaks the spirit of that agreement. "We have no interest in China using the South Pacific as a testing site," Peters said. New Zealand plans to talk to other Pacific countries about what happened.
The timing
The missile test took place on the same day Australia and Fiji signed a defence agreement. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he had spoken with leaders from both countries about the deal.
A newspaper reported the missile test may have been China's response to the new alliance, though China hasn't said this publicly.
The timing puts New Zealand in a tricky spot. The country has close security links with Australia and the United States, but it also does a lot of trade with China.
A pattern
Peters pointed out that China tested another long-range missile in the same area in September 2024. That test also drew complaints from Pacific Island nations.
Two missile tests in less than two years, both in the South Pacific, both called routine by China, both criticised by the region. Peters is concerned about seeing this happen again.
New Zealand has been slower than Australia to publicly call China a security risk. Peters' use of strong language — "deeply concerned," and saying China broke a treaty — is notable. Whether this leads to formal complaints to China or stays a public statement is something people in Parliament and across the Pacific will be watching.
