The National Security Council (NSC) said on Wednesday, July 8, that China’s recent submarine-launched ballistic missile test threatens regional security, urging Beijing to prioritize stability over displays of military force.

National Security Adviser Eduardo SL Oban Jr. expressed deep concern after China fired an unarmed and intercontinental-range ballistic missile into the South Pacific.

While Beijing has characterized the test as a routine operation, Oban said the test raises fresh questions about regional security and strategic intent, noting that Beijing's description of the launch as a “routine” activity does not lessen its implications.

“China may call the launch 'routine,' but there is nothing routine about its consequences for regional security,” Oban said.

“A missile test of such range and capability, against the backdrop of continuing concerns over the pace and transparency of China's military buildup, inevitably raises questions about strategic intent and regional stability,” he added.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA)-Navy earlier announced that one of its nuclear submarines launched a strategic missile carrying a training dummy warhead at 12:01 p.m. on Monday, July 6. It said the missile landed accurately in a designated area of the Pacific Ocean.

The Chinese military described the activity as part of its annual training program, stating that relevant countries had been notified in advance and insisting that the test complied with international law and international practice. It also said the launch “is not directed against any specific country or target.”

Citing officials, Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled propaganda outlet Global Times said the missile used in the launch was likely the JuLang (JL) submarine-launched strategic missile.

It said the missile was first displayed during China's military parade in Beijing last year and "likely exceeds 8,000 kilometers," making it an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) allegedly capable of striking targets far beyond the Asia-Pacific region.

China conducted its first publicly acknowledged ICBM test into the Pacific Ocean in September 2024. Beijing then said the missile carried a dummy warhead and was launched as part of a routine training exercise.

The statement came as the country prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award on July 12, which invalidated China's sweeping claims over most of the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line.

Beijing has refused to recognize the decision despite repeated calls from Manila and other countries to comply with international law.

Oban said the anniversary serves as a reminder that peace depends on respect for the rights of other states.

“As the Philippines marks the 10th Anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, we are reminded of a principle that extends beyond any single dispute: peace and stability endure when States act with due regard to the rights of other States,” he said.

He also stressed that the Pacific should not become a venue for displays of military power.

“The Pacific is home to sovereign nations and peoples whose security and peace must not be treated as secondary to unnecessary displays of military power,” Oban added.