US forces announced on Thursday (29th) that a Chinese military aircraft came within 6m of a plane belonging to the country’s air force last week. The action forced the Americans to take evasive action to avoid a collision in international airspace over the South China Sea.
The episode comes as the United States warns of a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft.
The incident, which involved a Chinese Navy J11 fighter jet and a US Air Force RC135 aircraft, occurred on Dec. 21, the US military said in a statement.
“Dedicated to a free and open IndoPacific region, the US Joint IndoPacific Force will continue to fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all ships and aircraft under law. International,” the statement added.
At a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in November, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin highlighted the need to improve crisis communications and noted what he described as dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft.
Australia’s Defense Ministry said in June that a Chinese warplane dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region.
Australia said the Chinese jet flew too close to the RAAF plane, releasing small pieces of aluminum that were sucked into the Australian plane’s engine.
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