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US successfully tests shooting down missile

EPA / KCNA

The United States Defense Agency said on Wednesday it managed to successfully shoot down a medium-range ballistic missile off the coast of Hawaii in a test days after North Korea's latest missile test which renewed tension surrounding Pyongyang's weapons programs.

Navy destroyer the USS John Paul Jones detected and intercepted its target launched from Hawaii, marking the second time a Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) successfully hit a medium-range missile. "We will continue developing ballistic missile defense technologies to stay ahead of the threat as it evolves." Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said in a statement, adding this particular test was "a key milestone."

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier his country intends to "make a necessary response" to North Korea's launching of a ballistic missile over Japan and is willing to cooperate with the international community in an effort to help ease tension on the Korean Peninsula.

Breaking the News / JC