China has for the first time landed several bombers on an island in the disputed South China Sea, a move that could provoke renewed tensions between nations bordering the strategically vital maritime region.
Several bombers of various types — including the long-range, nuclear-strike-capable Xian H-6K — carried out landing and takeoff drills at an unidentified island airfield after carrying out simulated strike training on targets at sea, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force said in a statement on Friday.
Wang Mingliang (王明亮), a defense expert cited in the statement, said the takeoff and landing exercises on islands in the South China Sea would help the air force “strengthen its combat capability to deal with maritime security threats.”
The move came weeks after US network CNBC reported that China had installed anti-ship and air-to-air defenses on outposts in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), citing sources close to US intelligence.
Washington warned that Beijing would face unspecified “consequences” over its militarization of the South China Sea, saying that it had raised the issue with China.
“I believe this is the first time a bomber has landed in the #SouthChinaSea,” Center for Strategic and International Studies China expert Bonnie Glaser said on Twitter.
In an analysis published on its Web site, the center said the location of the runway was believed to be Woody Island (Yongxing Island, 永興島), China’s largest base in the Paracel Islands (Xisha Islands, 西沙群島), which are also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
The South China Sea issue has been brewing for years, with Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam making competing claims to the waters with vital global shipping routes, in which are believed to be significant oil and natural gas deposits.
China has engaged in years of land reclamation efforts on reefs it controls in the region and has built civilian and military facilities in the contested area.
Chinese military facilities include airbases, radar and communications systems, naval facilities and defensive weaponry, including landing strips able to accommodate military aircraft.
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