News live: Conroy says China missile launch ‘more likely to be a coincidence’ than linked to new Australia-Fiji pact

According to The Guardian, Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles said China conducted a long-range missile test in the Pacific yesterday—a weapon Beijing has confirmed is nuclear-capable. Although the test coincided with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Fiji to sign a new defense alliance, Marles expressed doubt that the two events were directly connected. Nonetheless, Australia remains deeply concerned. Speaking to ABC News, Marles emphasized that China's expanded nuclear reach is deeply destabilizing—particularly given the country's dramatic military buildup without offering strategic reassurance to regional neighbors. Foreign Minister Penny Wong similarly called the test a destabilizing act that could lead to miscalculation in the Pacific.

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