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Chinese Military Plane Lands on Disputed S. China Sea Island
China says a military airplane landed on one of the country’s man-made islands earlier this week in the South China Sea.
The plane was on patrol Sunday when it received an emergency call to land on Fiery Cross Reef, Chinese media reported. It said the plane was told to remove three construction workers who were injured.
The workers were flown to Hainan Island, where they received medical treatment.
The man-made island has a 3,000-meter long runway for aircraft. Construction workers completed the runway last year. Test flights by commercial airlines started in January.
This handout picture from China’s official Xinhua News Agency shows a China Southern Airlines civilian plane landing at a newly-built airstrip on an island at Fiery Cross Reef, in the South China Sea, on Jan. 6, 2016.
Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said the United States has serious concerns about China’s actions in the South China Sea.
He said that other Asian countries have expressed their concerns about China’s actions, both publicly and privately, to U.S. officials.
China claims much of the South China Sea. Several other nations, including the Philippines and Vietnam, have competing claims.
I’m Pete Musto.
VOANews.com reported this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
patrol – n. the act of walking or going around or through an area in order to make sure that it is safe
reef – n. a long line of rocks or coral or a high area of sand near the surface of the water in the ocean
runway – n. a long strip of ground where airplanes take off and land