Manila: While China sees the launching of an unarmed, intercontinental-range ballistic missile in the South Pacific as routine, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Oban Jr. considers it otherwise, citing its consequences for regional security.

According to Philippines News Agency, NSA Eduardo Oban Jr. expressed concerns about the launch, stating, "China may call the launch 'routine,' but there is nothing routine about its consequences for regional security." He emphasized that a missile test of such range and capability, amid existing concerns over China's military buildup, raises questions about strategic intent and regional stability.

China's People Liberation Army Navy had earlier announced that one of their submarines launched a "strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead towards the relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which landed precisely within designated waters." They described the launch as part of China's annual military training.

Oban highlighted that the Pacific is home to sovereign nations and people whose security and peace should not be treated as secondary to displays of military power. He recalled the significance of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, emphasizing that peace and stability are upheld when states respect each other's rights.

Furthermore, Oban reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to its Pacific partners in advocating for greater transparency and measures to reduce regional instability. He concluded, "A secure region cannot be built on the ability to project power, but on the responsibility to exercise it with due regard to others."