TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday (Sept. 26) condemned China's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

China's state-run Xinhua News reported the PLA Rocket Force had launched an ICBM carrying a “dummy warhead” that landed in the “high seas in the Pacific Ocean" at 8:44 Wednesday (Sept. 25). On Thursday, MOFA criticized the exercise as “threatening regional peace.”

The ministry expressed its “stern condemnation for China’s continued military actions in the region that threaten the peaceful status quo.”  The ministry urged China “to be rational and exercise self-restraint.” 

MOFA called on Beijing to halt all actions that undermine regional peace and stabilize and escalate regional tensions. It said that only in this way can China align with the interests and expectations of countries in the region.

The ministry noted that many countries in the Indo-Pacific region have expressed concerns about China's "above-mentioned irresponsible behavior.” 

It pledged that Taiwan would continue to cooperate with like-minded countries to curb the expansion of authoritarianism and jointly maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.