Ahead of Trump-Xi meeting, China says bombers flew near Taiwan

BEIJING/TAIPEI: A group of Chinese H-6K bombers recently flew near Taiwan to practice "confrontation drills", Chinese state media reported late on Sunday, publicising the action just a few days before the U.S. and Chinese presidents are due to meet in South Korea.

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Taiwan's defence ministry denounced the report as a propaganda ploy.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, sends its combat aircraft and warships into the skies and waters around the island on a daily basis, though Taipei's defence ministry has not reported any unusual activity lately.

Chinese state television's military channel's Weibo account said that recently - it did not give a date - units from the Eastern Theatre Command had conducted combat-oriented training to test their capabilities in areas like air blockades and precision strikes.

"Several J-10 fighters flew in combat formation to a designated target airspace, and multiple H-6K bombers went to the waters and airspace around Taiwan island to carry out simulated confrontation drills," it added, without providing the location.

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

'AIMED AT INTIMIDATION'

Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement that the report was "clearly 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," it added.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

On Monday morning, in its daily bulletin of Chinese activities in the previous 24 hours, Taiwan's defence ministry reported just four Chinese military aircraft - three fighter jets in the Taiwan Strait and one support aircraft to the southwest of Taiwan.

The Chinese state television report said defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity through "concrete actions and safeguarding the peace and happiness of hundreds of millions of people is our solemn commitment".

It showed a video of bombs being dropped, and in one segment an air force officer says that the "coast of Taiwan can be clearly made out", though it is not clear from the image whether any land can be seen.

TRUMP-XI MEETING

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea this week to discuss their ongoing trade dispute.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that Taiwan should not be concerned about the talks.

Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has over the decades enjoyed strong though unofficial support from the United States, which despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

On Saturday, a senior Chinese official said China and Taiwan should work to achieve "peaceful reunification", marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan being handed over to the Chinese government from Japanese rule at the end of World War Two.

In an interview with two Taiwanese YouTubers broadcast late on Saturday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said peace had to rely on strength, pointing to his government's commitment to increased defence spending.

"We have ideals about peace, but cannot have illusions to believe that an agreement on a piece of paper can achieve peace," he added.

China has rebuffed multiple offers of talks from Lai, accusing him of being a "separatist". Lai has said only Taiwan's people can decide their future.