A Chinese fighter jet flew critically close to an American bomber, drawing the ire of military officials.
The Chinese Shenyang J-11 quickly approached the U.S. B-52 bomber on Tuesday over the South China Sea and came within 10 feet of contact, the U.S. military said Thursday.
The aircraft briefly harassed the B-52, flying close at “uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, placing both aircraft in danger of collision,” according to US Indo-Pacific. Domain.
US military officials said they were “concerned” by the Chinese pilot’s behavior, alleging that China’s recent history of similar maneuvers puts peace in the region at risk.
“We are concerned that this pilot was not aware of how close he came to causing a collision,” a military official told reporters.
The airspace over the South China Sea is strategically valuable and China has sought to assert control over the region while the United States and its allies conduct drills.
The Chinese Communist Party commented on the meeting with frustration, accusing the United States of provocation through an excessive military presence.
“US military planes traveled thousands of kilometers to China’s doorstep to demonstrate their strength,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
The Chinese pilot of a fighter plane almost collided with an American B-52 at uncontrollably excessive speeds.AP
And he added: “This is the source of the risks to maritime and air security, and does not favor regional peace and stability.”
Both the United States and China refused to back down from the incident and issued similar statements announcing intentions to continue operations as usual.
“The United States will continue to fly, sail and operate, safely and responsibly, wherever international laws allow,” the US military said.
“China will continue to take decisive measures to maintain its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” Mao said.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn