The US accuses the Chinese pilot of needlessly putting both aircraft in danger. China, in turn, often blames the US for the unstable situation in the South China Sea.
According to US military information, a Chinese fighter approached a US B-52 bomber in a dangerous maneuver over the South China Sea. The pilot of the J-11 aircraft flew in an “unsafe and unprofessional manner” under and in front of the US aircraft at a distance of just ten feet (about three meters), US Indo-Pacific Command said on the night of Friday. . A fighter jet was seen approaching in a released video.
According to US information, the incident occurred at night and with low visibility. Consequently, the fighter’s maneuver violates international aviation safety rules.
The aerial incident occurred during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s talks in Washington, where he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday. On Friday there was a meeting with US President Joe Biden’s security advisor, Jake Sullivan, at the White House.
China insists on “territorial integrity”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman blamed the US for the unstable situation in the South China Sea. The fact that a US military plane travels to China’s doorstep to show strength is the cause of the security risk at sea and in the air, Mao Ning said on Friday in Beijing. China will continue to protect its territorial integrity.
The US and China have repeatedly accused each other of dangerous behavior by their militaries in the Indo-Pacific. According to information from the US, more than 180 incidents have occurred since the fall of 2021. Both sides have recently published photos of the events. On Thursday, China’s Defense Ministry distributed a video purporting to show the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Ralph Johnson making a sharp turn into the path of the Chinese destroyer Guilin. China accused the US of wanting to provoke with the August 19 maneuver.
Conflict between several states in the area
The South China Sea is regularly the scene of military exercises and threatening gestures. In the north, Beijing feels challenged by US Navy ships passing through the strait between China and Taiwan. The People’s Republic sees the democratic island state as its territory. In the south, China claims several reefs and islands and is in dispute with the Philippines and other neighboring countries. According to several sources, repeated incidents also occur there. Taiwan and the Philippines are supported by the US. (APA)