China Fires Missiles Into South China Sea in ‘Warning’ to US
After US flew a U-2 spy plane over exercise area China had declared off limits
China launched two missiles, including an “aircraft-carrier killer”, into the South China Sea on Wednesday morning, a source close to the Chinese military said, sending a clear warning to the United States.
The move came one day after China said a US U-2 spy plane entered a no-fly zone without permission during a Chinese live-fire naval drill in the Bohai Sea off its north coast.
One of the missiles, a DF-26B, was launched from the northwestern province of Qinghai, while the other, a DF-21D, lifted off from Zhejiang province in the east.
Both were fired into an area between Hainan province and the Paracel Islands, the source said.
The landing areas were within a zone that Hainan maritime safety authorities said on Friday would be off limits because of military exercises from Monday to Saturday.
The DF-26 dual-capable missile is a type of weapon banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty treaty signed by the US and Soviet Union towards the end of the Cold War. When the US withdrew from the treaty last year, it cited China’s deployment of such weapons as justification.
The DF-26 has a range of 4,000km (2,485 miles) and can be used in nuclear or conventional strikes against ground and naval targets.
The DF-21 has a range of around 1,800km, with state media describing the most advanced in the series, the DF-21D, as the world’s first anti-ship ballistic missile.
The source said the missile launch was aimed at improving China’s ability to deny other forces access to the South China Sea, a disputed region.
“This is China’s response to the potential risks brought by the increasingly frequent incoming US warplanes and military vessels in the South China Sea,” the source said. “China doesn’t want the neighbouring countries to misunderstand Beijing’s goals.”
Song Zhongping, a Hong Kong-based military commentator, said the missile launches were clearly meant to send a signal to the United States.
“The US continues to test China’s bottom line in Taiwan and South China Sea issues, and this pushed China to showcase its military strength to let Washington know that even US aircraft carriers cannot flex their full muscle near China’s coast,” Song said.
China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the launches.
In a rare move, the People’s Liberation Army is conducting drills almost simultaneously in four sea regions.
Earlier this month, the PLA also held exercises near Taiwan “to safeguard national sovereignty”, exercises that coincided with US Health Secretary Alex Azar’s trip to the island.
In July, the PLA conducted military exercises in the South China, East China and Yellow seas, as two US aircraft carriers conducted tactical air defence exercises in the South China Sea – manoeuvres the US said were “in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Besides aircraft carriers, the US has also sent numerous military jets and vessels to keep a close watch on Chinese activity.
The Chinese military drills have triggered unease among its neighbours. Vietnam asked China to cancel its Paracel Islands military drills, saying they violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and were detrimental to China-Asean talks on a South China Sea code of conduct.
Source: South China Morning Post
The US is just testing China’s reaction..If China doesn’t respond then the US can get bolder..The US knows China won’t strike first so it is a Game..”You won’t hit me,look at me being belligerent”..Then 1 day the attack could be real but I think the US is just bluffing,trying to intimidate China to back down.It won’t work but that’s all the US knows..Being an A$$hole to try and get it’s way.
trump is irrelevant—in a military dictatorship the oligarchy decides—this explains why USA and their colonies—UK, Canada, Denmark, etc only invade nations like Afghanistan, syria, Iraq, Vietnam, etc…the amerikan rich hide their money in cayman is and purchase underground bunkers in NZ…amerikans have become so self loathing and antagonistic that 70+ million live in gated “communities”
US cities r covered in plywood and half of small enterprises r now bankrupt
Didn’t know there were any U2s left still flyable. This isn’t the 60s or 70s. No doubt the Chinese would pick them up. The Russians managed to shoot one down in 1960! I wonder if that was a drone being used to try to start a conflict thinking the Chinese would be stupid enough to shoot it down.
It appears the US indoctrination system (aka education system) has produced so many dumbshits that the military and intel agencies are now infested with them. I mean we’re talking about US intelligence agencies and the State Department thinking Russia would give up their base in the Crimea once we overthrew the legitimate Ukraine Govt and installed US puppets. The US is still mad about that!
“China launched two missiles, including an “aircraft-carrier killer”, into the South China Sea on Wednesday morning, a source close to the Chinese military said, sending a clear warning to the United States.”
I have my doubts.
One can sense the intensity building and how it pertains to US hyperinflation significantly escalating, a lower dollar, and China revealing a “show me your gold” moment.
Conveniently adjacent to US elections, I might add.
The rest of the world knows it….how long before America and its pathetic vassals realise the game is up….pathetic war-mongering psychopathic cretins !
What scares me the most that even with their global power declining, they may just want to instigate a war. I’m sure Russia and China are wary of this too. There’s little trust in the American regime with the Donald at the helm — He’s too unpredictable, and that’s not good for a nuclear power.
Unfortunately America is not the only amoral, sociopath around, there’s another rogue nation in the ME, Israel, and it too has used nuclear weapons without compunction. I think, both China and Russia are awaiting and workig towards, the collapse of the dollar, working for its demise. America is already bankrupt, but until the trust in the dollar vanishes, she can stay afloat and randomly print ad infinitum. A dollar collapse also spells the end to the psychopathic leeches squatting in Palestine. These are dark days for humanity, as both rogue entities are completely insane and rather than lose status, they’re prepared to instigate nuclear armageddon.
I agree mostly, except — When did Israel USE nuclear weapons? I must have missed that occasion.
Try Syria and Lebanon… You definitely have been asleep at the wheel
Please point to a reliable reference(s) that states that Israel used a NUCLEAR weapon in Syria and Lebanon.
Are U REALLY that stooopid? Best comment of the day so far.
I guess I am — Please enlighten me.
Israel can only use nukes to destroy themselves.Not a large nation geographically. Some believe they could be employed. I doubt any nation would—this could be wishful thinking??
The US already has, twice — But Israel has never launched any nuclear weapons in anger (yet). These doofuses above are just that, dumb asses.
Right,,, what we need is a predictable person and a patriot like Harris/Biden. People that really care for the country and its people. Absolutely!
I didn’t say that – But, you’re right they’re not good either. Lesser of two evils I suppose. I’d have preferred Bernie, but unfortunately, not going to happen.
What the world needs is the complete collapse of America, the world has had enough of this genocidal bully, it obeys neither God nor man’s laws, is totally insane and visibly irreformable.
Realistically, a friggin monkey 🐵 could have done a better job than the present POTUS. So, even though I don’t think Biden is a great choice, he surely can’t do worse than the Donald!
I hope the US gov understands that there is no support for a war with China outside of the comments section at Breitbart. And that that support will fade away as soon as a few USN ships are sank.
On the contrary, LS, there IS support for the U.S. with it’s beligerency towards China. Australia is so far up the U.S. rear end, it’s quiet happy to turn it’s back on it’s biggest trading partner simply to follow U.S. dictates and sacrifice the Australian economy and Australian lives. Not to mention turn certain parts of Australia into glass and no go areas for a hundred years or more. Hopefully a couple of those missiles will be aimed towards Canberra.