China actively expanding bomber training for US strikes: Pentagon

Washington: A new space report by the Pentagon has revealed that Beijing is indefatigably developing long-range bombers and "likely training for strikes" against Washington, DC and its allies in the near future.

The report, which was published on Thursday, also highlighted that China is making effort to increase its global influence by investing heavily in its defence sector. The report revealed that the country has already spent a whopping amount of 190 billion dollars last year.

"Over the last three years, the PLA has rapidly expanded its overwater bomber operating areas, gaining experience in critical maritime regions and likely training for strikes against US and allied targets," the report said, using an acronym for China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), as quoted by CNN.

The report further stated that China is also building long-range bombers having nuclear capability, saying the Chinese air force "has been re-assigned a nuclear mission."

"The deployment and integration of nuclear-capable bombers would, for the first time, provide China with a nuclear 'triad' of delivery systems dispersed across land, sea, and air," the report added.

The dossier also revealed that Xi Jinping-led government in China has already built its first overseas base in Djibouti and that it "will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries"

According to CNN, the Pentagon report further said that it is unclear what message Xi Jinping-led government is trying to convey by sending aircrafts "beyond a demonstration of improved capabilities."

Not only that, the Pentagon report prepared by the Congress, also claimed that the Dragon is also working towards strengthening its space surveillance capabilities in order to keep an eye on the objects across the globe and in space. This move by the Chinese government is expected to aide them to prepare for the future counter space actions.

Notably, this new Pentagon report has emerged at the time when the United States and China are likely to hold trade talks in the coming days, offering hope that they might avert the trade war.