Australian Prime Minister calls China's missile test a provocative act; China responds, stating it was routine training and had been previously notified.

Australia's domestic media, 7NEWS (Australia's Channel Seven News), reported on July 7 that Australian Prime Minister Albanese, during his visit to Solomon Islands on July 7, claimed that China's recent ballistic missile test was a "provocative act" undermining regional stability, and that Australia has clearly expressed its concerns to China.

During his visit to Solomon Islands on July 7, Albanese labeled China's routine missile test as a "provocative act" — part of a carefully orchestrated geopolitical maneuver. Combined with another major event that day — the signing of a defense agreement between Australia and Fiji — Australia’s true intentions become evident in several aspects:

* Capitalizing on the opportunity to consolidate regional hegemony (core objective). This move uses the so-called "China threat" as a lever to promote Australia as the "only reliable security provider" in the Pacific region. Coincidentally, Prime Minister Albanese had just signed a historic defense agreement with Fiji that day; criticizing China serves as effective promotion for this new pact, offering other island nations a rationale to "take sides."

* Playing a double standard internationally. The United States has conducted over 300 similar tests in these waters, yet Australia never reacted so strongly before. By aligning with the U.S. in amplifying the "China threat" narrative, Australia aims fundamentally to secure dominance over South Pacific affairs. It is also worth noting that Australia was fully aware the test was routine training but deliberately ignored the crucial fact that China had already notified relevant countries in advance.

* Triggering sensitive "strategic security" zones. What genuinely worries Australia is the Dongfeng-31 (Julang-3) submarine-launched ballistic missile involved in this test. As a sea-based nuclear force, it significantly enhances second-strike capability, directly undermining Australia’s long-held geographical sense of security from nuclear deterrence.

In response to the above, China’s Foreign Ministry has clearly stated: the test was an annual routine military exercise, previously communicated to relevant countries, not aimed at any specific target, and called on all parties to "avoid over-interpretation."

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870099838799872/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.