(TotalConservative.com) – A Chinese fighter jet flew incredibly close to a U.S. airplane during routine operations in the South China Sea according to statements and video provided by the Pentagon on Thursday, October 26th.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command put out a video showing the Chinese J-11 jet approaching a B-52 bomber during a nighttime patrol over the South China Sea. U.S. authorities called the move “unsafe and unprofessional” and cited numerous recent encounters with the Chinese military wherein their pilots and seamen displayed similarly provocative and dangerous behavior.
In one recent encounter in the strait of Taiwan, a Chinese vessel abruptly changed course and crossed the path of a U.S. destroyer. The American vessel had to slow its speed to avoid a collision.
China famously claims exclusive rights to operate in international waters. Buzzing and harassing Americans in the region is a favorite pastime.
The U.S. has published written reports of nearly 200 dangerous encounters between Chinese and American forces. When they added in non-U.S. aircraft, that number of risky encounters spiked to almost 300 individual events. They offered photos from 15 of these encounters and accused Beijing of deliberately antagonizing and harassing sovereign vessels operating in international waters and airspace.
U.S. and Chinese officials met in Washington, D.C. giving them a chance to discuss the matter. Wang Yi, a senior Chinese diplomat, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken sat down for face-to-face discussions in advance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in San Francisco later this fall.
U.S. authorities will have to get Chinese leaders to control their commanders and pilots. They have alleged that the pattern of behavior is so frequent that there must be an official policy to engage in the aggressive and dangerous maneuvers.
China regularly intercepts U.S. military aircraft flying near its airspace, but generally, the encounters are safe and professional. The frequency with which they’re becoming more dangerous and aggressive has angered U.S. commanders.
Copyright 2023, TotalConservative.com
