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© Thomson Reuters 2022.Chinese jet came within 10 feet of U.S. military aircraft
By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© Thomson Reuters 2022.
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Desert Tortoise
The US, Japan and Australia need to press China to negotiate an agreement like the "Incidents at Sea" or INCSEA treaty the US had with the old USSR. Such a treaty would spell out in detail how each nation's forces would conduct themselves during encounters over international waters. Such an agreement would professionalize such encounters and put a lid on the cowboys who want to push limits and test the other side.
Rodney
So USA is contesting a sea in China? The mind boggles.
Desert Tortoise
No, not at all. Quoting from the article "China claims vast swathes of the South China Sea that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines". So it appears it is China contesting the maritime rights of other nations inside their territorial seas. To further quote the article "U.S. military planes and ships routinely carry out surveillance operations and travel through the region." These are international waters and airspace in which any nations ships or aircraft may legally operate. Considering how much US bound commerce passes through the South China Sea and that they are international waters and airspace despite anything the Chinese assert, the US has every right to patrol the area.
UChosePoorly
I understand your confusion. Despite its name, the South China sea is not actually in China, but is mostly international waters, as are most seas and oceans.
stormcrow
China would love nothing better than to bottle up the entire ocean around it, stop all free traffic of international travel and commerce and proclaim the South China Sea their own.
It’s all BS so unless you want to call China master, every country in the region should be as mad as hell about this.
TokyoOldMan
What will happen if, one side or the other causes a more serious incident ? It seems like China is just looking for that opportunity as an excuse.
theFu
That happened in 2001 when a US EP-3 was forced to land. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident China held the crew and stripped the plane that was flying in international airspace, far from any legitimate Chinese land.
Nowhere near anything Chinese.
I fear that only "splash 1" will get Chinese pilots to behave. Any foreign military aircraft should be at least 100m to the side/above/below for safety. Farther in other areas, unless violence is the goal. It isn't like they don't see each other.
China needs to get along with others, better.
Nemo
The Chinese think they can slowly bully the West out of the S. China sea.
They are "mistaken."
OssanAmerica
You need to buy a map. Your comments are what boggles the mind.
Superlib
Got a source? Didn't think so.
nandakandamanda
Would love to see the US Go-Pro shots of this.
Jasper Cole
The way Jinping is provoking the pro-democracy world it will endanger humanity.
TokyoOldMan
OK, so who gave the Chinese a copy of the "Top Gun" Movie for their training Material ?
Mark
As usual just being IRRESPOSIBLE.
elephant200
These interception of hostile foreign spyplanes(RC135/EP3)over the international airspace is important to China's state security. We need to send them a message: Do not attempt to use the international airspace as an arena to launch long range cruise missiles or guided air to ground munitions. We are present and we have the capability to shoot down hostile warplanes aiming at China from far away.
This interception mission has done very good, it was peace time that's why no further action taken. It was irresponsible for hostile countries but very responsible for Chinese!
elephant200
@Nemo: NO! It wasn't the Chinese bully the West, it was the otherwise: The West is bullying China over this scenario.
From the Chinese airforce radar screen, it was a lightspot flying toward or parallel over Chinese airspace but that requires further visual confirmaction by sending an interceptor to make recognitions.
The flying objects was an RC135 spy plane that doesn't carry any arsenals that's why no further action taken.But if the plane was a B52, B1 or B2 these are bombers capable launching cruise missiles or guided munitions. The Chinese pilots were watching them, standby to lock on the target and attack if the hostile airplane attempt to drop anything out of the bomb bay.
theFu
A recon plane makes for good neighbors, just like a 2m fence does on property lines. You are welcome to come up to the fence and look over. That all the RC-135 was doing. That's a Boeing 707 airframe. No stealth. No missiles. No guns. Effectively it is an airliner, so flying in plain sight for everyone to see, watch, follow, if they like.
An RC-135 doesn't have a "bomb bay". Any aircraft is free to fly in international airspace. That's international law.
If the USA was like China, it would not allow Chinese airliners to land anywhere in the US territories for a week as punishment for these actions. Hit them where it hurts. In the wallet.
No further action? They nearly caused a mid-air collision. People could have died. Expensive equipment could have been lost. All over an amateur stunt by Chinese pilots. They need to lose their flight status and go back for "re-education" ... along with the ground people who told them to get close. They all need "re-education." Good thing China has plenty of those camps ready and waiting.