Why China would want to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile out into the Pacific

• China test-fired an ICBM this week, launching it into the Pacific Ocean for the first time in over 40 years.
• This kind of testing gives China useful data on how an ICBM would perform under normal circumstances.
• China's rocket force has seen significant growth in recent years as China bolsters its capabilities.

China's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile this week, which saw the country lob the long-range weapon far out into the Pacific Ocean, was a very public display of Chinese military power at a time when it is bolstering its nuclear arsenal.