

The People's Liberation Army conducted a "land-based anti-missile technology test" late Wednesday and "achieved the desired objectives," the Ministry of Defence said.

The ministry's brief report gave no further details of the test, which followed two similar ones in January 2013 and January 2010.

State broadcaster China Radio International said the test was "believed to be part of broader plans to build a missile shield to intercept incoming warheads.

" The previous test took place over the remote western region of Xinjiang, state media said at the time.

It was not clear if Wednesday's test was related to ongoing military exercises that have caused the delay or cancellation of scores of passenger flights in recent days, especially from airports in eastern China.

AM/