Eurofighters to Flex Muscles Over South China Sea

Britain’s most advanced operational fighters will fly over the contested South China Sea as a show of force to China, Britain’s ambassador to the US said. The UK will also sail aircraft carriers in the Pacific once they are operational, Kim Darroch said Thursday, according to Reuters. Four Eurofighter Typhoons are deployed to bases in Japan and South Korea to train with host nation and USAF aircraft. These aircraft will fly over the South China Sea at the end of the deployment, Darroch said. Chinese officials, in response, said there is no dispute about the aircraft flying in international airspace, but they hope the UK will “respect regional countries’ efforts to safeguard peace and stability,” according to Reuters. The state-run Xinhua news agency published a commentary on Friday warning that the UK might “start playing a meddling role” in the South China Sea like the US and Japan.