South China Sea: China Deploys Fighter Jets To Disputed Island, U.S. Officials Say

February 24, 2016 | 08:12 GMT

China has deployed fighter jets to the same contested island in the Paracels — an archipelago also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan in the South China Sea — to which itrecently sent surface-to-air missiles, unnamed U.S. officials said Feb. 23, Fox News and AFP reported. The officials said U.S. intelligence services had spotted Chinese Shenyang J-11 and Xian JH-7 warplanes on Woody Island in the disputed Paracel Islands chain over the past few days. According to AFP, a U.S. Pacific Command spokesman confirmed the report but noted that Chinese fighter jets have previously used the island. Imagery obtained recently by Stratfor shows 16 hangars at several locations along the runway seem to be designed to host fighter aircraft like the J-11.