The Chinese Air Force announced on Sunday that it has sent more than 40 military aircraft over the West Pacific, via the Miyako Strait, for "a routine drill."
According to Shen Jinke, spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army Air Force, the drill involved various aircraft including H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighters and air tankers.
Shen said the drills included "reconnaissance and early warning, attacks on sea surface targets and in-flight refueling," aimed to "test the Air Force's fighting capacity on the high seas." It is the second military drill held by the air force in the West Pacific in September.
Shen said that the air force also conducted "routine patrols" in China's East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). He added that the drills and patrols are conducted "in accordance with the needs of the air force to defend national sovereignty and security, as well as to maintain peaceful development."
Created in 2013, China's East China Sea ADIZ overlaps with the pre-existing ADIZ established by Japan. The two countries also have territorial disputes over the Diaoyu Islands (called Senkaku by Japan) in the East China Sea.
In recent years, there has been frequent confrontation between aircraft from the two sides.
In June this year, two Japanese fighter jets intercepted two Chinese fighters patroling the East China Sea, leading to a mutual accusation of "provocative actions."
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