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Reported by: Elizabeth Schumacher with AP, Reuters | Edited by: Kieran Burke

The Chinese Navy conducted a test launch for a long-range ballistic missile on Monday, drawing condemnation from other regional powers over Beijing's increasing displays of military might.

According to the official Xinhua news agency, the missile was launched by a nuclear submarine in the South Pacific. The area is known as the nuclear-free zone due to the 1986 Treaty of Rarotonga, in which signatories agreed not to test nuclear warheads there. China ratified the treaty in 1987.

Australia: China is 'destabilizing' South Pacific

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong accused Beijing of "destabilizing" the region while on a visit to Fiji to boost defense ties.

"It appears that despite our long-standing concerns about this type of activity, China carried out the test within hours of informing us" that it would take place, New Zealand's top diplomat Winston Peters told the Associated Press.

China has said that it was carrying out "routine" military drills. Two years ago, it carried out a similar missile test in the area with a dummy warhead.

Beijing has in recent years begun carrying out larger and more regular military drills across the South Pacific.

(Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.)