A Chinese military plane came within 10 feet of a U.S. Air Force aircraft in the South China Sea last week, forcing the U.S. aircraft to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision, according to the U.S. military.
The Dec. 21 incident involved a Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet and a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, according to a Thursday statement from U.S. Indo-Pacific. The statement said the Chinese aircraft came within 20 feet of its nose, while it came within 10 feet of the plane’s wing, according to Reuters.
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The U.S. accused the Chinese pilot of conducting “an unsafe maneuver by flying in front of and within 20 feet of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the RC-135 to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision,” adding, “We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law.”
The U.S. Indo-Pacific released footage of the incident, which shows the Chinese plane flying near the American aircraft before the U.S. official began evasive maneuvers.
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The Department of Defense released its much-anticipated national defense strategy this fall, identifying the Chinese Communist Party as posing the “most comprehensive and serious challenge to U.S. national security.” The department has also frequently described Beijing as its “pacing challenge” and as the only power that has the intent and capability to reshape the international order in its favor.
