World
US Flies Bombers Over South China Sea & East China Sea Amid Growing Tension With Beijing
China denounced US bombers flew over South China Sea and East China Sea as a provocative action
Earlier this week, the U.S. military flew B-52 bombers over the East China Sea and the South China Sea. The move has reportedly caused anger in Beijing amid growing tension between the two global powers.
Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn, a Pentagon spokesman, said that B-52 bombers had taken part in a combined operation over the East China Sea and had flown through international airspace over the South China Sea. He added that such flights are common and are designed to enhance the U.S. military’s readiness and interoperability with the country’s partners and allies in the region.
Disappointed by the move, the Chinese defense ministry on Thursday denounced US B-52 bombers flew over the South China Sea and the East China Sea as a provocative action considering the fact that the two countries are already embroiled in an acrimonious trade war.
“Regarding the provocative actions of US military aircraft in the South China Sea, we are always resolutely opposed to them, and will continue to take necessary measures in order to strongly handle (this issue),” Ren Guoqiang, the Chinese defense ministry spokesman, told a monthly briefing.
When asked about Defence Minister Wei Feng’s planned visit to the United States later this year, Ren hinted that the trip could be in doubt.
“The United States is to blame for the present problem, so the United States must immediately correct its mistakes, and withdraw the so-called sanctions to dispel obstacles that interfere in the healthy development of relations between the two militaries,” Ren said.
China recently denied permission to a US Navy ship to dock in Hong Kong. The USS Wasp with a crew of more than 1,000 sailors on board was scheduled to make a port call in Hong Kong next month.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump accused China of undermining his prospects in upcoming elections saying that Beijing does not want his Republican Party to do well in the U.S. congressional elections in November this year because of his strict stance on trade.
