Senior Col Wu Qian, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, did not mention the missiles on Thursday but confirmed that China had carried out long-planned drills over an area that stretched from Qingdao in northeastern China to disputed islands in the South China Sea known as the Spratlys. China had signaled its plans to test the missiles by declaring a travel exclusion zone in a part of the South China Sea this week. Among the medium-range missiles in China’s growing arsenal are the DF-26 and the DF-21, which can attack moving targets at sea. Tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan have risen sharply in recent weeks as part of the broader deterioration of relations between China and the United States. The US military has recently stepped up operations in the area, including the deployment of two aircraft carriers in July in the waters China claims.

Source: bd News24 August 27, 2020 11:03 UTC