CHINESE STRATEGIC BOMBERS MAKE DEBUT LANDING ON CONTESTED ISLANDS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

Several Chinese bombers, including the H-6K strategic bomber, have landed on contested islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of ongoing landing and takes-off drills in the area.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army said in a statement that multiple bombers had taken off from a base in southern China and hit a training target before practicing take-off and landing at an airfield built on an unidentified island in the South China Sea.

“A division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) recently organized multiple bombers such as the H-6K to conduct take-off and landing training on islands and reefs in the South China Sea in order to improve our ability to reach all territory, conduct strikes at any time and strike in all directions,” the statement said.

The PLAAF’s Weibo microblogging account also quoted defense expert Wang Mingliang as saying that the recent exercises will help China to “strengthen its combat capability to deal with maritime security threats.”

Earlier reports appeared that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles in three outposts of the South China Sea.

More about the Chinese military:

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