Pacific Security Shock: China’s submarine-launched, nuclear-capable ballistic missile test has triggered a wave of condemnation across the region, with Australia’s Anthony Albanese calling it “provocative” and “destabilising” after saying Beijing provided only hours’ notice and that the missile appears to have landed near Nauru and Tuvalu. Regional Diplomacy: Albanese and Solomon Islands PM Matthew Wale backed stronger ties and a new comprehensive treaty track, while New Zealand’s PM Christopher Luxon said the test is “unacceptable” for a proudly nuclear-free region. Treaty Push: The missile test landed just hours after Australia signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance with Fiji, a mutual-defense pact framed as a response to “common danger,” with Australia also seeking to deepen partnerships across the Pacific. Nuclear-Free Zone Debate: Analysts and Pacific leaders argue the launch undermines the spirit of the South Pacific Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, even if China says it complied with international law. Maritime Strategy: Separate coverage highlights how the Pacific seabed is becoming more crowded with mining, cables, military activity and other uses—raising friction and risk as multiple actors overlap. Energy & Climate Context: New data shows many countries cut energy taxes in response to the Iran war, while reef reporting warns extreme heat and El Niño conditions are increasing coral bleaching risk across Asia and the Pacific.