HONG KONG, March 14 (UPI) -- Four farmers in southwest China were killed and at least nine others were injured when a warplane from Myanmar dropped at least one bomb on a sugar cane field, Chinese state-run television reported.
The bombing comes as the conflict intensifies between Myanmar forces and the rebel supporters of the Kokang people, an ethnic Chinese minority group. Fighting began intensifying in February when rebel leader Phone Kya Shin returned after a five-year exile.
Shortly after the incident, Chinese jet fighters were sent to "track, monitor, warn and chase away" Myanmar military aircraft flying close to the Chinese border, air force spokesman Shen Jinke told state-run Xinhua news agency
The country's vice minister for foreign affairs, Liu Zhenmin, denounced the bombing.
"We urge the Myanmar side to thoroughly investigate this incident and report the findings to the Chinese side, and to sternly punish the perpetrator," he said.
