China ballistic missile test pushes case for Pacific security pact

Australia's Pacific Minister Pat Conroy stated that China's recent test launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile into the Pacific has harmed its reputation in the region and bolstered the argument for a Pacific-led security pact. The missile was fired from a submarine on Monday and flew over Pacific islands, landing near Tuvalu's exclusive economic zone.

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I don't think this was conducive to China's standing in the region.

"I don't think this was conducive to China's standing in the region," Conroy told ABC's Insiders program. He suggested the incident underscores the necessity of internal Pacific security arrangements, adding, "I think it demonstrates that the Pacific security can only be provided from within the Pacific."

Conroy indicated that such a pact would require years of development and consensus among Pacific leaders. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale had been advocating for a regional security agreement ahead of an upcoming Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting, pointing to the missile test as evidence of its need. "China is a good friend of the Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does," Wale commented last week.

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I think it demonstrates that the Pacific security can only be provided from within the Pacific.

The missile test coincided with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's diplomatic visit to the region, occurring just hours after he signed a mutual-defense agreement with Fiji. Conroy also highlighted the significant military buildup in the Indo-Pacific, describing it as the largest since World War II and occurring without transparency. He affirmed the Australian government's commitment to strengthening the nation's defense capabilities and diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict, while declining to speculate on specific missile defense capabilities.

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China is a good friend of the Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does.