The United States urged China to avoid destabilizing actions after Beijing tested a missile this week, which U.S. said was an anti-satellite missile system.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf warned that that previous test China conducted in 2007 left behin thousands of pieces of dangerous debris in space, and the latest action could threaten the security and sustainability in the outer space.

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China confirmed missile launch, but said it was only a missile interception test.

Xinhua, quoting the Chinese Defense Ministry, reported that the launch "achieved the preset goal" and said it will help China's air defense capability of intercepting incoming warheads. No other details were given.

The missile launch is the third of its kind that China initiated. The first trial took place in January 2010 in which it launched a land-based mid-course missile interception test.

Three years later, it launched its second test. According to reports, the second launch involved highly sensitive technologies used to detect, track and destroy ballistic missiles flying in outer space.

The U.S. and China, while both economically tied with multi-billion dollar investments, have bitter relationship especially over its stand on territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas.

The U.S. earlier said it is not taking any side over the dipsuted territories, but said it is ready to defend its long-time ally Japan becuase of its security treaty with Tokyo.

A similar agreement was signed by President Barack Obama with the Philippines in April that assured the Asian country of American military support in case of external attacks.

The Philippines, a former U.S. colony, has a territorial dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea. The tiny archipelago filed an arbitration case before the U.N. China condemned the Philippines' action and said they would not acknowledge the case.

Obama has called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to refrain from actions that could knock off balance in Asia and said the disputes should be settled through diplomacy and not by military measures. 

Tagsmissile launch, Barack Obama