By Kirsty Needham
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Fijian President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere called for “respect for our region” and a stop to missile tests in the Pacific Ocean, after China launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday.
In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Katonivere recalled the Pacific Ocean’s history as a nuclear weapons testing ground, and noted Wednesday’s rare launch by China of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
“There was a unilateral test firing of a ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. We urge respect for our region and call for cessation of such action,” he said.
The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched by the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force at 8:44 a.m. Beijing time (0044 GMT) on Wednesday and “fell into expected sea areas,” the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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