China on Saturday accused the US of indulging in “serious military provocation” by flying two B-52 bombers in the air space over islands in the South China Sea claimed by it as tensions between the two countries over the disputed territory came to the fore.
The two US bombers on December 10 flew into the airspace near an island and reef of Nansha Islands (Spratly islands) claimed by China and Vietnam. Military personnel on the island and reef went on high alert and warned the aircraft to leave, the Chinese Defence Ministry said in a statement.
“On December 10 morning two US B-52 bombers entered air space over the Chinese Nansha islands and nearby areas without authorisation,” the statement said.
“This behaviour is a serious military provocation which complicates the general situation in the South China Sea, (contributing) to the militarisation of the region,” it said.
China claims whole of the South China Sea (SCS). Beijing’s claim, however, is strongly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
For its part, the US asserts that it do not recognise China’s claims over the SCS.
China claims that the whole of the SCS is its part of it from ancient times.