China flies army planes over strait near Japan

BEIJING 26 sep: More than 40 Chinese military aircraft have traversed a strait near Japan, China's defence ministry said on Monday, after Tokyo announced it may patrol with the US in the contested South China Sea region.

China's Air Force on Sunday sent 40 planes over the Miyako Strait, between Japan's Miyako and Okinawa Islands, to carry out training in the West Pacific, according to a statement on the defence ministry's website.

The planes -- Sukhoi Su-30 fighters,



bombers and refuelling aircraft -- made the flights without violating Japan's airspace.

The drill is aimed at "testing far sea combat capabilities", the statement said, and follows China's first military flight over the Miyako strait last year.

The move comes after Japanese defence minister Tomomi Inada said earlier this month that Tokyo would increase its engagement in the South China Sea through joint training cruises with the US Navy, exercises with regional navies and capacity-building assistance to coastal nations.