China said on Wednesday it had successfully conducted a rare launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, a move likely to raise international concerns about the country's nuclear build-up.

Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the high seas in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday morning, according to the Ministry of National Defense.Relevant countries had been notified in advance.

Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the high seas in the

This has been an unusual move for the PLA because it had hardly published photos of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, let alone images of the missile's launch moment. The military announced on Wednesday that the PLA Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, carrying dummy warheads, into open waters in the Pacific Ocean.

China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday in a rare occurrence, adding to tensions in the region where multiple countries have overlapping territorial claims and both Beijing and Washington seek to project their influence.

The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a dummy warhead into the high seas in the

Song Zhongping, a military affairs commentator and retired PLA Rocket Force officer, said a full-range flight test is a necessary and important step in verifying the capability and performance of any new type of strategic missile.

The DF-31AG is reportedly capable of reaching most of the continental U.S. from most of its deployment areas in China.

The launch of a long-range missile carrying a dummy warhead landed in the Pacific Ocean as regional tensions run high.

The Pentagon praised China for its transparency before the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, in a sign that military communication between the superpowers is improving.