As the United States redirects much of its strategic and military attention to escalating conflict with Iran in the Middle East, China has carried out a test of a long-range, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile, delivering a high-profile demonstration of its expanding nuclear and military capabilities to global observers. The test, conducted earlier this week, comes two years after Beijing launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into waters near French Polynesia, and drew immediate condemnation from Washington and several regional powers. However, just as with prior Chinese military advances that have been overshadowed by other global crises, this demonstration was quickly pushed out of global headlines by the resumption of U.S. strikes on Iran, the latest outbreak of violence between Washington and Tehran that broke a ceasefire reached on April 8.