China's air force has landed bombers on islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise in the disputed region, it said in a statement.
"A division of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) recently organized multiple bombers such as the H-6K to conduct take-off and landing training on islands and reefs in the South China Sea in order to improve our ability to 'reach all territory, conduct strikes at any time and strike in all directions'," it said in the statement issued on Friday.
It said the pilot of the H-6K bomber conducted assault training on a designated sea target and then carried out take-offs and landings at an airport in the area, describing the exercise as preparation for "the West Pacific and the battle for the South China Sea".
The United States has dispatched warships to disputed areas of the South China Sea in a bid to challenge China's extensive sovereignty claims in the territory, which is subject to various claims by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia.
"We have seen these same reports and China's continued militarization of disputed features in the South China Sea only serves to raise tensions and destabilize the region."
Senator Risa Hontiveros sought an end to Manila's "subservience" to China, while Congressman Gary Alejano said the issue of China's militarization in the South China Sea is a "global concern".
"With the silence and subservience of the Philippine government to China, we are placing in grave danger not only our country, but also our neighboring nations," Alejano said in a statement.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended his position not to confront China and reiterated his openness to undertake joint exploration and development in waters believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.
It was not clear if he was aware of the news about China's bombers landing on islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
"And with their hypersonic, they can reach Manila within 7 to 10 minutes. If we will go to a full-blown war, where would the Philippines end up?" Duterte said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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