{"id":53603,"date":"2018-09-27T15:13:54","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T15:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/27\/china-criticizes-us-b-52-bomber-missions-as-provocative\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:32:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:32:25","slug":"china-criticizes-us-b-52-bomber-missions-as-provocative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/27\/china-criticizes-us-b-52-bomber-missions-as-provocative\/","title":{"rendered":"China criticizes US B-52 bomber missions as \u2018provocative\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Air Force conducted two bomber flights late September into areas considered sensitive by the Chinese military.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

BEIJING \u2014 China on Thursday labeled a recent mission by nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bombers <\/a>over the disputed South China Sea as \u201cprovocative,\u201d and said the U.S. was solely responsible for a recent downturn in relations <\/a>between their militaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang also reiterated at a monthly briefing China\u2019s objections to a recent U.S. arms sale to Taiwan<\/a> and the imposition of U.S. sanctions over China\u2019s purchase of Russian defense equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As for the provocative action taken by the U.S. military aircraft, we are firmly against it and we will take all necessary means to safeguard our rights and interests,” Ren said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two B-52s flew over the strategic waterway, largely claimed by China, earlier this week in what the Pentagon called a routine mission. Separately, two B-52s also flew this week over the East China Sea, where China has declared an air defense identification zone and claims uninhabited islands controlled by Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\t