China air force becoming more "strategic": Spokesperson

BEIJING: China's air force has emerged as a strategic force with more advanced equipment and flying missions out of the country, a spokesperson said today.

Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), said the air force is a strategic armed force and plays a vital role in national security and military strategy.

"Air force's strategic capabilities should go with expanding national interests, in a bid to conduct diverse military missions in more fields," Shen said.

Shen said the air force is conducting more overseas missions, including disaster relief, joint drills, emergency rescue and other missions.

In recent years, China's air force has carried disaster relief materials to Maldives, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand when they suffered serious natural disasters, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.