Now China has sent more than 40 warplanes to fly over the Miyako Strait in the West Pacific, to test its combat ability and carry out a regular patrol in the Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea. An Air Force spokesperson cited safeguarding state sovereignty and national security, and safeguarding peaceful development.
The open sea exercise involves H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighters, air tankers and other types of warplanes. They conducted scouting, sudden attack and air refueling tasks. The Chinese Air Force has conducted regular patrols over the region in the three years since the establishment of its Air Defense Identification Zone.