China conducts large-scale aerial bombing exercise

BEIJING: China conducted a large scale aerial bombardment exercise over the weekend as tensions escalated over Taiwan, following a joint statement by the US and Japan.

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait, deployed dozens of H-6K strategic bombers in a nine-hour live-fire drill, South China Morning Post reported citing state television. The bombers took off in groups from a military airport in eastern China in combat formations amid low-visibility conditions and headed towards an "unknown shooting range", the CCTV report said. During their flights the H-6Ks, which have a maximum load capacity of 15 tonnes, also practised electronic countermeasures with air-defence missile units. Once they reached their target airspace, they dropped free-fall aerial bombs from different altitudes, the report said.

"The long hours, high-intensity, day-night training has quickly increased the [air force's] assault abilities and improved actual combat capabilities," CCTV said. "It's a largescale drill, with many bombs being dropped. There are no big shooting ranges in the eastern and southern theatre commands," said the source, requesting anonymity.

9 Chinese military planes violate Taiwan’s air defence zone: Nine Chinese military planes entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Thursday afternoon, marking the 17th intrusion this month.

Five People's Liberation Army Air Force Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, 2 Shaanxi Y-8 antisubmarine warfare planes, 1 Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane, and 1 Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan's ADIZ. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defence missile systems to track the PLAAF planes. Taipei countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. Lanka asks Chinese ship with radioactive material to leave Hambantota port: Sri Lanka has asked a Chinese ship to leave the southern port of Hambantota after it was found to be carrying radioactive material, officials said on Wednesday.