Chinese Military Is Conducting Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Tests

CNBC: Chinese military conducts anti-ship ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested South China Sea

* China is in the midst of conducting a series of anti-ship ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea, according to two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.
* The development comes as the U.S. and China have paused tensions in their ongoing trade battle.
* The South China Sea, which is home to more than 200 specks of land, serves as a gateway to global sea routes where approximately $3.4 trillion of trade passes annually.

WASHINGTON — China is in the midst of conducting a series of anti-ship ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea, according to two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

The Chinese carried out the first test over the weekend, firing off at least one missile into the sea, one official said. The window for testing remains open until Wednesday, and the official expects the Chinese military to test again before it closes.

While the U.S. military has ships in the South China Sea, they were not close to the weekend test and are not in danger, the official said. However, the official added that the test is “concerning.” The official, who was not authorized to speak about the testing, could not say whether the anti-ship missiles being tested represent a new capability for the Chinese military.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC and NBC’s requests for comment.

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WNU Editor:  I suspect that everyone is watching these anti-ship missile tests very closely.