What a coincidence: When looking out of my plane window on Sat/Sun night, I apparently saw a Chinese military rocket test. Perhaps intercont ballistic submarine-launched JL2, or 1st full test flight of the new JL3. My report in German @SPIEGELONLINE spiegel.de/wissenschaft/t… 1/

"What a lucky man you are, I’m almost jealous", @HenriKenhmann wrote me - he'ld be "sure at nearly 100%" that what I saw was the Chinese test flight he had reported on in his blog (eastpendulum.com/premier-vol-de…, currently offline) - whatever it is exactly 2/

There was no danger to the plane #AY101, @Finnair told & wrote about an 'incident'. #China's defense ministry did not answer questions. There apparently was a drop zone perhaps for the second stage of the rocket ab. 250km away from my plane's position: eastpendulum.com/premier-vol-de… 3/

Germany's government noticed the rocket test, @AuswaertigesAmt told me. It shows the necessity of speaking with China about arms control, a speaker said - and that advance notifications on rocket tests are necessary. 4/

China's ballistic missile submarine fleet grows rapidly, @adam_ni told me - the goal with the JL-3 apparently is to be able to reach targets at the US West coast with nuclear equipped missiles from Chinese waters, to increase the deterrence potential 5/

It's still unclear what I saw, @CollinSLKoh said. "I don’t think China would go to the extent of what the North Koreans did in the past by proceeding with the test and endangering flights." He'ld be surprised if my flight was so close to what might be missile or its contrails. 6/

On Sundays rocket test, @Reuters had reported: reuters.com/article/us-chi…, as did @JanesINTEL: janes.com/article/89001/…. @KristinAberdeen @SCMPNews cited anonymous military sources from Beijing that it's a midrange rocket: scmp.com/news/china/mil… 7/7

Perhaps it's also of interest to @dktatlow @PekingMike @suilee @joannachiu @ChuBailiang @zhubochubo @cnmediaproject @Suyutong @williamnee @supchinanews @niubi

And perhaps also of interest to @bzand @Lea_Deuber @politchecker @SHansenBerlin @andreaslandwehr @SteffenWurzel @Stirn @mstorfner @yangxifan @Thomas_Reichart @URoeller @FriederikeBoege @laserspex

@Reuters @JanesINTEL @KristinAberdeen @SCMPNews Finnish newspaper @hsfi reports on Sunday's rocket test - and my experience: hs.fi/ulkomaat/art-2…