Chinese J-11 Fighter Fly's Dangerously Close to U.S. RC-135 Aircraft, says U.S.
Chinese J-11 Fighter Fly's Dangerously Close to U.S. RC-135 Aircraft, says U.S.
The U.S. was conducting routine operations over the South China Sea, When a Chinese J-11 Fighter Jet came dangerously close to a U.S. RC-135. An apparent 10 Feet from the Wing of the U.S. Aircraft.
The U.S. was conducting routine operations over the South China Sea, When a Chinese J-11 Fighter Jet came dangerously close to a U.S. RC-135. An apparent 20 Feet from the Nose of the U.S. Aircraft. And a mere 10 Feet off the Wing.
The incident, which involved a Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet and a U.S. air force RC-135 aircraft, took place on Dec. 21, the U.S. military said in a statement.
“We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law," it added. A U.S. military spokesperson said the Chinese jet came within 10 feet of the plane's wing, but 20 feet from its nose, which caused the U.S. aircraft to take evasive maneuvers. The United States has raised the issue with the Chinese government, a separate U.S. official said.
The Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, China has said that the United States sending ships and aircraft into the South China Sea is not good for peace.
U.S. military planes and ships routinely carry out surveillance operations and travel through the region.
United States also waited eight days to speak about the encounter over the South China Sea, another spokesperson wrote, “Disclosure of this type takes time to verify details, obtain and declassify imagery and make proper notifications to other government agencies.”
A day after the encounter, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement “closely tracking” Chinese military activities in the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea and the East China Sea. And it continues to “oppose any military pressure or coercion against our allies and partners in the region.”
China has laid Claim to the highly disputed and often overlooked Islands in the South China Sea. In a 2015 speech in Singapore, China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, said that the islands had been under Chinese control “since ancient times” and that China “must take responsibility to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime interests.”
This isn’t the first time the United States and China have had encounters. In 2001, a Chinese fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy surveillance plane over the South China Sea, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the American plane to make an emergency landing on Hainan Island.
The Chinese government held the 24 members of the American crew for more than a week, releasing them only after an apology was sent by the American ambassador to China.
The Relationship between China and the United States has been tense for a long while, with friction between the world's two largest economies over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record, to its military activity in the South China Sea.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan in August infuriated China, which saw it as a U.S. attempt to mingle in its internal affairs. China quickly launched military drills near the island causing duress. Since this Trip, There have been countless encounters with United States Aircraft, and U.S. Allies.
We can only assume that this encounter will only spark more. China has an obligation to show force to the U.S. and its Allies. The last situation China wants, is for the U.S. military and its Allies move freely along the South China Sea. So we can definitely expect more instances like this one to come.
