Ahead Of Trump-Xi Jinping Meeting, Chinese Bombing Plane Provocation Of Taiwan

JAKARTA - A group of Chinese H-6K bombers recently flew near Taiwan in a combat exercise scheme.

Chinese state media published the action just days before US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet in South Korea.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense denounced the report as a propaganda tactic.

Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, sends its warplanes and warships into the sky and waters around the island every day, although Taipei's defense ministry has not reported any unusual activity lately.

China's government television military channel Weibo account said it recently "without mentioning its date" units from the Eastern Theater Command had carried out combat-oriented training to test their capabilities in areas such as air blockades and precision attacks.

"Some J-10 fighter aircraft flew in combat formations into designated airspace targets, and several H-6K bombers went into waters and airspace around Taiwan Island to simulate confrontation drills," he added, without specifying the location.

The H-6K is a strategic bomber that can carry nuclear weapons.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said the military exercise report was a public opinion operation aimed at intimidation".

"We call on our citizens to remain united in the face of such cognitive operations, to uphold freedom and democracy, and to defend our homeland together," he added.

China's Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment.

On Monday morning, in its daily bulletin on China's activities in the past 24 hours, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported just four Chinese military aircraft a three fighter jet in the Taiwan Strait and one support plane in southwest Taiwan.

The Chinese state television report stated that maintaining national sovereignty and regional integrity through "real actions and maintaining peace and happiness of hundreds of millions of people is our serious commitment".

The report shows a bomb video dropped, and in one segment an air force officer said "Taiwan beach can be clearly visible", although it is unclear from the picture whether any land is visible.