U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers have carried out training in the vicinity of the South China Sea and the island of Okinawa, the air force has said, in what a Chinese newspaper linked to China's drills near Taiwan.

The U.S. Air Force said Friday that the B-52s took off from Andersen Air Force Base on the U.S. Pacific island of Guam and "transited to the vicinity of the South China Sea" on Tuesday.

"The B-52Hs conducted training and then transited to the vicinity of Okinawa to conduct training with USAF F-15C Strike Eagles, before returning to Guam," it said.