By HUIZHONG WU and CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-McLAY Associated Press
China's navy has test-launched a long-range ballistic missile from one of its nuclear-powered submarines in the South Pacific. The New Zealand government says the missile was fired into a nuclear-free zone established in a 1986 treaty. China last tested a missile in international waters in 2024, the first such test in four decades. China's brief announcement of Monday's test says the missile carried a dummy warhead and was part of routine training. The launch took place the same day Australia and Fiji signed a new mutual defense treaty meant to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.
A congressional investigation finds the Pentagon has funded research involving collaboration with Chinese entities linked to China's defense sector. Many of these entities are blacklisted by the U.S. government. The report by House Republicans on the Select Committee on China warns U.S. technological know-how is being diverted to modernize China's military. Friday's report highlights concerns about the Defense Department's research policies, which it says have allowed foreign adversaries to exploit American research. Committee Chairman Rep. John Moolenaar has proposed a bill to prohibit defense funding for projects involving problematic Chinese entities. Beijing has said science and tech cooperation is mutually beneficial and helps the two sides cope with global challenges.
