China outraged over ‘serious United States military provocation’

“This behaviour is a serio us military provocation which complicates the general situation in the South China Sea, (contributing) to the militarisation of the region”, it said.

It demanded Washington immediately take measures to prevent such incidents and damage to relations.

China claims nearly all of the resource-rich South China Sea and has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. The United States also said that global law, when applied to artificial islands, does not give China traditional territorial rights, which extend 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from the coast of a country’s territory.

Australia was the second country after the United States to challenge China’s claim to nearly all of the South China Sea which is roiled in tension after China transformed reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities. Bill Urban as saying in Washington that China had raised its complaints, over the flight and the USA was investigating. “My understanding is there was one B-52 flight, I’m not even sure the date on it, but there was an effort made by Chinese ground controllers to reach out to that aircraft and that aircraft continued its mission”.

“Relevant construction activities that China is undertaking in the islands of South Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) do not target or impact any country, and China does not intend to pursue militarization”, Xi said. The government filed a diplomatic complaint to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing which has prompted the Pentagon investigation.

He said the United States routinely conducts B-52 training missions over the South China Sea. “We are looking into the matter“, Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright told AFP.

“But we never allow anyone to infringe upon China’s sovereignty and undermine China’s security interests with the excuse of flight and navigation freedom, “the spokesperson said”.

The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sails in the Pacific Ocean in a November 2009 photo provided by the US Navy.

China complained the plane flew within 2 nautical miles of the reef, a U.S. defense official said on condition of anonymity.

At least one of the bombers on the mission flew within two miles of Cuarteron Reef, drawing warnings from Chinese military on the artificial island. In China’s case, the economy that has been slowing down can seriously hamper the Chinese ambition to subdue its neighbours, if it disproportionately prioritizes the long-running disputes in the South China Sea at the expense of more pressing issues at home.

Beijing claims the island chain is within China’s territorial borders.

The main contractor behind the weaponry is Raytheon.