The US has postponed a planned test launch of a Minuteman III ICBM to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing amid China's show of force near Taiwan. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials.

According to the source, the US Air Force planned to conduct a test launch this week from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. US officials did not specify how long the delay would last, but one of them noted that it could last 10 days, the Journal reported.

In April, the US military canceled tests of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. This delay was intended to reduce nuclear tensions with Russia during the war in Ukraine.

The nuclear-capable Minuteman III is a key part of the US military's strategic arsenal. The missile has a range of more than 9,660 km and can move at a speed of approximately 24,000 km/h.