China deploys fighter jets to South China Sea island as tensions grow

TENSIONS are mounting after satellite images revealed China has deployed two fighter jets to a hotly contested island in the South China Sea.

The images, taken from ImageSat International, show two Chinese Shenyang J-11 fighter jets on Woody Island and have been authenticated by US defence officials.

The island, in the Paracel island chain, is in the South China Sea, which sees more than $5trillion in global trade pass every year.

EXCLUSIVE: China sells fighter jets to Argentina which are able to attack Falkland Islands

ARGENTINA is to purchase sophisticated Chinese fighter jets able to attack the Falkland Islands as part of a “strategic partnership” with Beijing.

The move, which further raised tensions in the South Atlantic last night, follows a three-day visit by President Kristina de Kirchner to Beijing last week, in which Argentina secured 15 economic agreements and significant financial investment to bolster its failing economy.

WRAPUP 1-China military sends air patrols through new defence zone

Nov 29 (Reuters) – China sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft into its new air defence zone over the East China Sea on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua said, raising the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Japan and South Korea also flew military aircraft through the zone on Thursday while Washington sent two unarmed B-52 bombers into the airspace earlier this week in a sign of support for its ally Japan. None of those aircraft informed Beijing.

Border Patrol — China mobilizing troops, jets near Korea

China has placed military forces on heightened alert in the northeastern part of the country as tensions mount on the Korean peninsula following recent threats by Pyongyang to attack, U.S. officials said.

Reports from the region reveal the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently increased its military posture in response to the heightened tensions, specifically North Korea’s declaration of a “state of war” and threats to conduct missile attacks against the United States and South Korea.

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The Chinese military activities near North Korea were detected in Jilin Province, and intelligence reports from the area on March 19 indicated that PLA forces were ordered to go to “Level One” alert status, the highest level of readiness.