China sends out stern message to US forces in Asia…

This file photo shows two US Air Force B-1B Lancers.
This file photo shows two US Air Force B-1B Lancers.

China has stressed that it will safeguard its territorial sovereignty, in a tacit warning to the United States, two of whose military bombers recently flew over the South China Sea.

“China’s military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability,” a Chinese ministerial source said on Friday.

“China always maintains vigilance and effective monitoring of the relevant country’s military activities in the South China Sea,” the source said in a statement, referring to the United States.

The US Pacific Command said on its website that two US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers had flown a 10-hour training mission from Guam over the South China Sea on Thursday, in conjunction with the Navy’s USS Sterett guided-missile destroyer.

A US warship in late May carried out a “maneuvering drill” within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China in the South China Sea.

The US military says it conducts such drills to exercise what is calls its right to “freedom of navigation” to show China it is not entitled to territorial waters there.

This US Navy handout photo shows an F/A-18C Hornet as it prepares to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea on April 8, 2017. (Via AFP)

The latest exercise was part of the Pacific Command’s “continuous bomber presence” program and was not, however, described as a “freedom of navigation” exercise.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, through which about five trillion dollars in sea-borne trade passes each year.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam also have claims in the disputed waters.

Washington has taken sides with Beijing’s rival claimants in the disputed waters and criticized China for the construction of islands and build-up of military facilities there, over apparent concerns that they could be used to restrict free navigation in the resource-rich waters.

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