On February 4, China successfully tested an unspecified land-based midcourse missile defense system. In a February 5 statement, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the nighttime test occurred within China’s borders and “achieved the desired test objective.” According to Chinese state media, the flight marked the fourth publicly announced test of a midcourse ballistic missile interceptor. Prior BMD tests reportedly took place in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2018.