US sends B-52 bombers for 'training' after China drills near Taiwan
Tehran (KNA) - The US says its strategic B-52 bombers have carried out training in the vicinity of the South China Sea and the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, in what a Chinese newspaper linked to China's drills near Taiwan.
Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew within 250 kilometers of Guangdong's coastline in southern China on Tuesday afternoon.
The US Air Force said on Friday they took off from Andersen Air Force Base on the US Pacific island of Guam and "transited to the vicinity of the South China Sea."
"The B-52Hs conducted training and then transited to the vicinity of Okinawa to conduct training with USAF F-15C Strike Eagles, before returning to Guam," it said.
"Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP) missions are intended to maintain the readiness of US forces," the Air Force added.
An Air Force spokeswoman described the exercises as "a routine mission."
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said on Thursday that the armed forces had the situation under control.
Source: PressTV