Australia has joined a US-led push for nations to provide advance notice of missile launches, in a direct rebuke of China’s test firing in the South Pacific.
Within hours of Australia’s signing of a mutual-defence pact with Fiji in July, China confirmed a nuclear-capable missile had been launched from a submarine into the region, which is believed to have landed near Tuvalu.
Beijing was widely criticised internationally over the missile test, with a number of Pacific Island nations adopting a stronger public stance against their key economic partner than usually taken.
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In a joint statement published by the US state department, Australia is among more than 40 nations to call 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.
Palau, which is hosting the Pacific Islands Forum in September, the Marshall Islands and New Zealand are the only other regional signatories.
“Recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area did not follow the standard practices adopted by most states to notify and deconflict… launches,” the statement reads.
“Conducting nuclear-capable ballistic missile tests without sufficient advance notice and detail is dangerous and disrupts the peace and security of relevant nations in proximity to these tests.
“It increases the risk of miscalculation, undermines global stability and security, and is incompatible with the responsibilities that come with possessing long-range missile capabilities.”
This requirement applied “particularly” to nuclear-weapon states and notifications should include information about the “generic class of the ballistic missile or SLV (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), the planned launch notification window, the launch area, and the planned direction”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were in Suva when the missile test occurred in early July.
Senator Wong at the time said the government had been notified ahead of time.
