US warplanes have flown over the disputed South China Sea, the US Air Force said today, a move aimed at asserting freedom of navigation rights in the hotly-contested area.
The flights come as both US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend the G-20 meeting in Hamburg.
A US B1-B bomber and two F-15 fighters with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force departed Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base and flew over the neighbouring East China Sea late on Thursday, the US Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs office said.
This is “the first time US Pacific Command-directed B-1B lancers have conducted combined training with JASDF fighters at night,” the statement read.
When the bilateral operations concluded, “the B-1Bs proceeded to the South China Sea before returning to Andersen Air Force Base,” the statement read.
It was not immediately clear when or if a second US B1-B bomber joined for the South China Sea leg of the operation.