BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -- China publicly acknowledged for the first time that it successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, in a move likely to raise international concerns about the country's nuclear build-up.
The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force at 08:44 a.m. Beijing time (0044 GMT) on Wednesday and "fell into expected sea areas," the Chinese defense ministry said in a statement, adding it was a "routine arrangement in our annual training plan" and not directed at any country or target.
