--- description: Two U.S. B52 bombers have flown near man-made islands in the South China Sea, despite being warned by Chinese air traffic control. title: U.S. Bombers Test Beijing's South China Sea Claims image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a03a69ab0f8ab23/698870ddcd1bba27a66fe167/gettyimages-488965416.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # U.S. Military Aircraft Continue to Test Beijing's Claims to the South China Sea by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 13, 2015 9:01 AM CUT  The Subi Reef in the South China Sea, a part of the Spratly Islands group, on Sept. 1, 2015 The Subi Reef in the South China Sea, a part of the Spratly Islands group, on Sept. 1, 2015DigitalGlobe/ScapeWare3d—DigitalGlobe/Getty Images by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 13, 2015 9:01 AM CUT Two U.S. B52 bombers [flew near man-made islands](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/12/us-southchinasea-usa-idUSKCN0T12G720151112#QPT0HAGXAA4LTyJW.97 "undefined") in the South China Sea, despite being contacted by Chinese air traffic control, the Pentagon said Thursday. During the overnight operation on Nov. 8-9, the aircraft did not pass within the 12-nautical-mile radius that China claims around the artificial islands, Reuters reported Pentagon spokesperson Commander Bill Urban as saying. It was a “routine mission,” Urban said. This is the latest test of territorial boundaries in the South China Sea since a U.S. warship [sailed into waters claimed by China](http://time.com/4088224/south-china-sea-spratly-us/ "undefined") on a freedom-of-navigation operation in late October. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan all have claims to some of the reefs and shoals in the hotly disputed waters. \[[_Reuters_](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/12/us-southchinasea-usa-idUSKCN0T12G720151112#QPT0HAGXAA4LTyJW.97 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4111252/south-china-sea-us-china-islands-aircraft/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4111252/south-china-sea-us-china-islands-aircraft/"},"headline":"U.S. Military Aircraft Continue to Test Beijing's Claims to the South China Sea","datePublished":"2015-11-13T09:01:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T12:35:12.960Z","description":"The Pentagon called it a “routine mission”","url":"https://time.com/4111252/south-china-sea-us-china-islands-aircraft/","keywords":["China","U.S.","South China Sea"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a03a69ab0f8ab23/698870ddcd1bba27a66fe167/gettyimages-488965416.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Rivett-Carnac","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/mark-rivett-carnac/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a03a69ab0f8ab23/698870ddcd1bba27a66fe167/gettyimages-488965416.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"DigitalGlobe high-resolution imagery of the Subi Reef in the South China Sea, a part of the Spratly Islands group. 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