China Fires “Aircraft-Carrier Killer” Missile As A Strong Warning To US
Two missiles have been fired by China including one dubbed an “aircraft-carrier killer” into the South China Sea as a strong warning to the United States as tensions in the disputed sea lane rise to new levels, reports have indicated.
According to news report by South China Morning Post (SCMP) which was given on Thursday, Beijing fired one intermediate-range ballistic missile, DF-26B, from Qinghai Province and another medium-range ballistic missile, DF-21D, from Zhejiang Province on Wednesday as a reply to US aerial activities in a “no-fly zone” area.
Defense Minister for United States Mark Esper announced that China has severally fallen short of promises to abide by international laws. He went far to indicate that China seems to be flexing its muscles the most in Southeast Asia.
According to reports, the two missiles were fired in the direction of the area between Hainan province and the disputed Paracel Islands, the Hong Kong-based publication added, quoting an unnamed source.
The paper said that, a US U-2 spy plane had reportedly moved into a Chinese-designated “no-fly zone” on Tuesday without permission during a live-fire naval drill conducted by China in the Bohai Sea off its north coast.
Liu Xiaoming, China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, said in a social media post that the US move “severely disrupted” China’s normal exercises and “training activities.”
Zhao Lijian, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, described the spy plane overflight as “provocative actions” and advised the United States to stop.
According to the state-owned Global Times, DF-26B missile, which was formally launched earlier this month, is capable of hitting moving targets at sea, making it an “aircraft-carrier killer”.