Chinese rocket forces have conducted a combat test of a new type of missile in the Bohai Sea, according to a statement from the Information Bureau of China’s Ministry of National Defense.
The remarks were made Tuesday in response to media enquiry about a recent missile test.
The test in the Bohai Sea was conducted to “raise the operational capability of the armed forces and effectively respond to threats to national security,” the ministry said in a brief statement.
The test was conducted in accordance with the annual training plan to enhance the combat skills of the forces and their ability to handle threats to national security, the statement said.
“The test achieved the expected result,” said the statement, without disclosing the exact date.
The Bohai Sea is a body of water off the coasts of Tianjin municipality, Shandong, Hebei and Liaoning provinces.
The announcement came on the day that South Koreans elected left-leaning former human rights lawyer Moon Jae-In in a presidential election held after a scandal led to the impeachment of the country’s previous leader.
The test also comes as China, the United States and the Koreas are locked in a complex diplomatic spat over Pyongyang’s missile launches and potential new nuclear tests.