JAKARTA - China criticized the presence of United States combat engines in the Pacific Region, as Washington plans to send a long-range B-52 Stratofortress bomber, after two weeks ago the B-1B Lancer supersonic bomber arrived in advance.
The United States plans to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 Stratofortress bombers to an air base in northern Australia, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia was involved with the United States in the defense alliance "from time to time".
Commenting on the presence of US bombers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said defense and security cooperation between countries should not target third parties.
"Relevant practices from the US side have raised tensions in the region, seriously undermine regional peace and stability, and could trigger an arms race in the region," Zhao said.
"China urges related parties to abandon the long-standing Cold War zero-sum mentality and the narrow geopolitical concept, and do more to contribute to regional peace and stability and to increase mutual trust," he said.
Placing B-52, which has a combat range of about 14,000 km, in Australia will serve as a warning to Beijing, as concerns grow about attacks on Taiwan,wasser, senior researcher at Washington-based Center for a New American DC Security, ABC said.
Throughout this year, the US deployed four B-52s to Andersen Air Force bases in Guam, a US island area in the Western Pacific.
As previously reported, a special facility for bombers will be set up at a remote Australian Air Force base in Tindal, about 300 km (190 miles) south of Darwin, Australia's Northern Territory capital, the source said, declined to be named because it was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
This development was first reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corp's 'Four Corners' program, citing US documents.
Two weeks ago, the B-1B Lancer bomber landed in Guam two weeks ago, amid tensions over Taiwan's region and prospects for North Korea's nuclear tests.
It was the placement of the two supersonic bombers in the region this year. The US military confirmed their temporary deployment into the Pacific region, as part of a mission of the bomber's task force.
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