China has successfully tested its next-generation submarine-launched ballistic missile, the JL-3, which is capable of delivering a nuclear strike to the United States.

'The scientific research and tests conducted according to plan are normal,' China's Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said on Thursday at a press briefing cited by state-run Global Times.

Ren was responding to reports of a mysterious light spotted moving across the sky in several provinces in central China on June 2, which alarmed residents and sparked speculations of the classified military test.

Residents from multiple Chinese cities claimed they saw a mysterious light in the sky on the morning of June 2. One trending video captures the object above Zhengzhou (pictured)

A video of the light, said to be shot from Zhengzhou, Henan province, shows the object with a long tail of smoke flying above the city's central business district before turning away and slowly disappearing.

In posts published on social media, The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force and Chinese Navy hinted that the unidentified flying object could be missiles launched.

Sina Military reported that the light could be related to Beijing's JL-3 experiment and that the missile had been equipped with a hypersonic warhead.

Previous reports have suggested that JL-3 was an improved version of Beijing's DF-41 ballistic missile (pictured). DF-41 is said to have the longest range of any ballistic rockets in the world

American officials said the JL-3 was launched from a submarine test platform in the Bohai Sea and flew several thousand miles to a missile impact range in western China

American officials said the JL-3 was launched from a submarine test platform in the Bohai Sea and flew several thousand miles to a missile impact range in western China.

'These tests are not targeted against any country or specific entity,' Ren said.

'China has always followed a defence policy which is defensive in nature and an active defense military strategy. The development of weapons and equipment is to meet the basic needs of safeguarding China's national security,' he added.

The intercontinental Julang series - which means 'big waves' in Chinese - is designed for China's nuclear-powered submarines. It can reach targets farther away with higher accuracy and capable of carrying more warheads than China's current submarine-launched ballistic missiles, Global Times reported.

Chinese news portal Sina said the light could be a result of a test of a hypersonic warhead of JL-3, a missile shot from a nuclear submarine and could destroy targets in most part of the United States. JL-3 is reported to be an improved version of DF-41 ballistic missiles (pictured)

Above, a 094A Jin-class nuclear submarine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy participates in a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the navy. The US Department of Defence last year suggested that China's next-generation submarine Type 096 would be armed with JL-3 and construction of the submarine would begin in early 2020s

Previous reports claimed that the third-generation JL-3, capable of carrying 24 missiles, would have a full operational range between 7,456 miles and 8,700 miles, which is enough to destroy targets in most part of the United States from Chinese coasts.

It was also suggested that JL-3 was an improved version of Beijing's Dongfeng-41, or DF-41 ballistic missile. DF-41 is said to have the longest range of any ballistic rockets in the world.

An annual report from the US Department of Defence last year suggested that China's next-generation submarine Type 096 would be armed with JL-3 and construction of the submarine would begin in early 2020s.