Jakarta. China had notified Indonesia ahead of its ballistic missile launch in the Pacific Ocean, according to a diplomat, as Washington complains about being warned on short notice.

China had kicked off the week by test-firing a ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine into the southern Pacific Ocean. The United States claimed that the notice came to them only hours before the tests.

As the power struggle continues, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang told reporters on Thursday that Indonesia — a country that lies between the Indian and Pacific oceans — would keep an eye on the missile tests. Asked whether Beijing had already given Jakarta a heads-up, Yvonne said that there was a Chinese notification.

“This is important, considering that transparency and notifications are pivotal in confidence-building measures. … We [Indonesia] are paying attention to the reports,” Yvonne said.

“In principle, there is no general ban on possession or testing of ballistic missiles under international law.”

US Department of State spokesperson Thomas Pigott has urged Beijing to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and "commit to a regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches consistent with commitments made by all other P5 members.” 

The P5 is a common term for the permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely China, Russia, France, the US, and the UK. They are also the only nations that the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty recognizes as owning nuclear weapons. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has clarified that the test launch was just a “routine training activity” of China’s military. She also denied that the launch was directed at any specific country or target. 

“The Chinese side had notified relevant countries beforehand, as is consistent with international law and customary international practice,” Mao explained at a press briefing on Tuesday.

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