China fires missiles into South China Sea as a warning to the US - report

The Chinese military has launched two missiles into the South China Sea on Wednesday morning, the South Morning Post reported quoting a source.

One of the missiles, according to the source close to the Chinese military, is an "aircraft-killer" weapon that was fired into an area between Hainan province and the Paracel Islands.

The Paracel Islands, also known as Xisha Islands and Hoang Sa Archipelago are part of the disputed South China Sea territory that is claimed by the People's Republic of China and Vietnam and about a third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines.

The launch occurred one day after the Chinese government reported that a spy plane entered a no-fly zone without permission during its live-fire naval drill in the Bohai Sea.

Th types of missiles used were identified by the South Morning Post as a DF-26B, which was reportedly launched from the northwestern province of Qinghai, and a DF-21D, that came from Zhejiang province in the east.

The Hong Kong based English newspaper also reported that the DF-26 dual-capable missile is a type of weapon banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty treaty between the US and the Soviet Union towards the end of the Cold War.

The said missile has a range of 4,000km (2,485 miles) and can be used in nuclear or conventional strikes against ground and naval targets.

The news source cited in the report claimed that the launch was part of efforts to improve China's capability to supposedly deny access  within the disputed South China Sea.

A Hong Kong-based commentator, quoted in the same report and identified as Song Zhongping said, "The US continues to test China’s bottom line in Taiwan and South China Sea issues, and this pushed China to showcase its military strength to let Washington know that even US aircraft carriers cannot flex their full muscle near China’s coast."

The report also said efforts were made to get comment from the Chinese military but there was no response received as of posting. -- BAP, GMA News