US bombers fly near South China Sea in ‘routine training mission’
- Tensions on the rise between Beijing and Washington over resource-rich area
- Flight occurred on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Philippines
Two US Air Force B-52H bombers flew near the contested waters of the South China Sea on Monday, in what was described as a routine training mission.
The two B-52H Stratofortress bombers left Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and flew “in the vicinity of the South China Sea”, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the US Pacific Air Forces.
The statement said Monday’s flight was “consistent with international law and the United States’ long-standing commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
United States ‘won’t give in to China’ on Taiwan or South China Sea
The exercise was part of the US Indo-Pacific Command’s Continuous Bomber Presence operations which have been ongoing since March 2004.
Tensions over the resource-rich South China Sea are on the rise between China and the US, with Beijing maintaining its sovereignty claims over the area and Washington stressing its right to freedom of navigation in the waters.
In September, a US Navy warship almost collided with a People’s Liberation Army destroyer near contested reefs that are occupied by Chinese troops but also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.
Last week, in a veiled criticism of Beijing’s assertiveness, US Vice-President Mike Pence told leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations that Beijing aggression should not be tolerated and the US would remain committed to upholding the freedom of the seas.