China’s most recent publicly confirmed ballistic missile test occurred on July 6, 2026, when a submarine-launched missile with a dummy warhead was fired from the South China Sea into the South Pacific as part of routine annual training. That event drew protests from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations over short-notice notifications and regional security concerns, but no additional long-range launches into international waters have been reported since. Beijing has framed such exercises as standard military activity tied to nuclear deterrence modernization, conducted at infrequent intervals consistent with prior patterns seen in 2024. With roughly four months remaining before year-end and no evident diplomatic crises or scheduled exercises prompting further tests, trader consensus reflects the low historical frequency of these publicized launches.