US denounces China’s ‘aggressive maneuver’ over South China Sea

World
By William

The US has accused a Chinese military jet of flying too close to its plane, creating dangerous turbulence.

The United States has accused a Chinese fighter jet of conducting an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” against one of its planes while flying over the South China Sea, a disputed region of significant strategic importance.

In a written statement on Tuesday, the US Indo-Pacific Command — the arm of the armed forces overseeing the region — said its plane was conducting “safe and routine operations” in “international airspace” when it was intercepted by China’s J -16 jet.

The pilot “flew right in front of the RC-135, forcing the U.S. aircraft to fly through its wake turbulence,” the press release said.

“We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law,” the statement said.

A video released with the statement shows the inside of the cockpit of the US Air Force plane as a fighter jet approaches from one side and soars above the clouds. As it turns and passes in front of the Air Force plane’s nose, the force of the airstream wobbles the video.

The narrow fly-by and subsequent US statement are the latest tit-for-tat over the South China Sea, where China has made broad territorial claims, covering much of the region.

However, the US has argued that such claims could violate the sovereignty of other countries in the region. One such country, the Philippines, filed a petition in 2013 with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, to adjudicate the case.

Although China refused to participate in the proceedings, the court eventually ruled in 2016 that its claims over the South China Sea had no basis in international law.

In the wake of that ruling, the US called on China to “cease its provocative behavior” in the South China Sea and reaffirm “its commitment to the rules-based maritime order that protects the rights of all nations, great and small.” , respects. ”.

But China, the US and their allies continue to patrol the disputed waterway and associated airspace, leading to numerous interceptions and near misses.

For example, Matthew Miller, the spokesman for the US State Department, called on China in April to “stop its provocative and unsafe behavior” after a Philippine Coast Guard boat and a Chinese ship nearly collided.

China’s foreign ministry responded that the Philippine boat had “invaded” its territory in a “premeditated provocative action”.

And in December, a Chinese plane passed within 3 meters (10 feet) of another U.S. Air Force vehicle in international airspace, narrowly avoiding a hit.

The latest incident comes when China refused a request to meet US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Asian security summit Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this week.

But despite tense relations between the two countries, US President Joe Biden told reporters this month he was predicting a “very soon thaw.”

A new ambassador from China, career diplomat Xie Feng, recently arrived in Washington, DC.

“We hope that the United States will work with China to strengthen dialogue, manage differences, and also expand our cooperation so that our relationship gets back on track,” Feng said upon his arrival a week ago.

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