INTERNATIONAL: The Chinese Foreign Ministry has urged Chinese people to remain calm on Tuesday, after South Korea's military reported that North Korea appeared to have test fired another ballistic missile that may be more capable than the "hypersonic missile" it launched less than a week earlier.

China has taken note of the relevant launch activities. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has mentioned that the nature of the launch object needs further study and judgment, and all parties should not rush for a determination or overreact. China hopes that all parties will be cautious in their words and deeds, jointly maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, resolve respective concerns through dialogue and consultation, follow the dual-track approach and the principle of phased synchronization, and advance a political settlement on the peninsula issue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Wang Wenbin, says that the current situation on the Korean peninsula is happening during an important and sensitive period. China has always believed that the Security Council should play a positive and constructive role and take any action taken to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and help the respective parties resume dialogue.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff have said in a statement that initial estimates found Tuesday's missile had traveled more than 700 kilometers, with a maximum altitude of 60 kilometers, and at 10 times the speed of sound, at 12,348 kilometers per hour.

North Korea has joined the global race in developing hypersonic missiles, which are usually defined as weapons that reach speeds of at least five times the speed of sound - or about 6,200 kilometers per hour - and which can maneuver at relatively low trajectories, making them much harder to detect and intercept.