China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) released photographs of one of its H-6K long-range nuclear-capable bombers flying over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea amid mounting tensions over China's sovereignty claims on the maritime region.

The H-6K bomber, which is capable of firing nuclear weapons across Asia, was sent out as a response to the "freedom of navigation" flights carried out by the United States over the resource-rich waterway in recent months.

Like Us on Facebook

In April, the U.S. sent A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircrafts to fly over Scarborough and even though these jets, also known as "Warthogs" do not have the capability to fire nuclear weapons, they are intended for close-air support to ground forces.

The United States issued a statement saying that the A-10 aircrafts were flown over Scarborough in order to promote "transparency and safety of movement in international waters and airspace, representing the U.S. commitment to ally and partner nations and to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region's continued stability now and for generations to come," according to Forbes.

The Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal) is occupied by the Philippines but China considers the outcrop as part of its territory dubbed as the "Nine-Dash Line."

On Friday, the same day the bomber took flight over the disputed waters, Filipino fishermen were prohibited from entering Scarborough waters by Chinese coast guards.

This comes less than a week after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled that Beijing had "no legal basis" over its claims on nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea, a decision that China has refused to recognize, stating that the UN-backed tribunal had no jurisdiction over the dispute.

And some photos brought by PLA Air Force: bomber H-6K fly over Huangyan Island pic.twitter.com/S2pMMsemf0

— China SCIO (@chinascio) July 15, 2016

 

Tagschina, US, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, PLAAF, bomber, H-6K bomber, Philippines