China’s dire warning as four US stealth bombers land in Australia

China has made a new move after a B-2 stealth squad, famous for WWII’s nuclear bombing of Japan, flew from the US to Australia. See the pictures.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi warned his Asian neighbours from “picking sides” and being used as “chess pieces” after the US landed four stealth bombers in Queensland.

With B-2 Spirit stealth bombers being, stealthy, and able to avoid radar, the public display of flying 14,000 km from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to RAAF Base Amberley was designed send a message.

“This deployment of the B-2 to Australia demonstrates and enhances the readiness and lethality of our long-range penetrating strike force,” said Lt Col Andrew Kousgaard, the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander.

The 393rd Bomb Squadron is also highly symbolic, as it’s the unit that bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II -- the only deployment of nuclear weapons in combat.

US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from the 509th Bomb Wing arrive at RAAF Base Amberley. Picture: Supplied

US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from the 509th Bomb Wing arrive at RAAF Base Amberley. Picture: Supplied

A day after the landing, Mr Yi told the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which comprises 10 countries surrounding the South China Sea, that they should not be used as “chess pieces” by global powers.

“We should insulate this region from geopolitical calculations... from being used as chess pieces from major power rivalry and coercion,” Wang said, according to Reuters.

“The future of our region should be in our own hands,” he said.

It came just days after Wang told Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong that Australia must form a “correct understanding” of China as a partner, not a threat.

Mr Yi’s speech in Bali during the G20 this week, a day after the bombers landed in Australia, was directed at the 10 countries surrounding the South China Sea: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi face off on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting. Picture: AFP

The thinly-veiled warning to the 10 ASEAN countries came amid revelations that the Australian warship HMAS Parramatta was stalked by a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine, a warship and several aircraft.

Quoting a defence figure familiar with the interactions, ABC News reported that “formal challenges” occurred telling the Australian warship sailing through international waters that it had entered “China’s territorial waters”.

“The most intense activity occurred as HMAS Parramatta was in the East China Sea,” the official told the ABC, which reported the ANZAC-class frigate travelled to Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.

HMAS Parramatta conducts a cooperative activity with Royal Malaysian Navy Ship KD Selangor. Picture: Supplied

It was closely tracked by Chinese military assets including a Type 052C “Luyang II” guided-missile destroyer and a Type 093-A “Shang II” nuclear-powered attack submarine.

While Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force announced it had conducted exercises with HMAS Parramatta and the USS Dewey from July 4 to 6, Australia’s Defence Department would not confirm its deployments.

“For operational security reasons, Defence does not publicly disclose specific details of operations,” a Defence spokesperson told the outlet.