By Kirsty Needham
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Fijian President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere called for "respect for our region" and a stop to missile tests in the Pacific Ocean, after China launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.
In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Katonivere recalled the Pacific Ocean's history as a nuclear weapons testing ground, and noted Wednesday's rare launch by China of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
"There was a unilateral test firing of a ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. We urge respect for our region and call for cessation of such action," he said.
The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force at 8:44 a.m. Beijing time (0044 GMT) on Wednesday and "fell into expected sea areas," the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he had raised the missile test in a meeting with his counterpart in Beijing.
In French Polynesia, media reported the missile landed near to the French Pacific territory's exclusive economic zone, with President Moetai Brotherson expressing surprise and concern.
Brotherson sent a protest letter to the Chinese Embassy after learning of the missile launch in the media, Radio Tahiti reported.
France's High Commissioner, Eric Spitz, said China had notified France about the test, and the missile fell in international waters, Radio Tahiti reported.
Attending a function at the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday evening to mark the 75th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, Brotherson told reporters the missile had landed 700 km (435 miles) from French Polynesia's EEZ, and the incident showed the territory was "a grain of rice in the ocean" as major powers test each other, TNTV News reported.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement the missile launch was concerning.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Stephen Coates)
