Chinese jet made ‘unsafe’ intercept of reconnaissance plane

U.S. Pacific Command has reviewed the details of an intercept of a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft (US Air Force RC-135) on a routine patrol by two Chinese jets (J-10s) that occurred on June 7 (local time), in worldwide airspace, over the East China Sea.

They said that’s when two Chinese jets approached, one of them travelling at “an unsafe excessive rate of closure” on the American aircraft.

One worrisome option is that China may choose to declare an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the South China Sea.

The Philippines is hoping for a favorable ruling from a tribunal in The Hague this month after it went to court in 2013 seeking clarification on its economic entitlements in the South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with the United States. And two years after Belarus sided with Russian Federation in a United Nations vote on upholding Ukraine’s sovereignty – a move Belarus has since tried to walk back – China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Minsk “firmly supports China’s principled stance” on the South China Sea.

The U.S.is faced with the strategic challenge of managing China’s global ascendancy peacefully at a time when it is also distracted by other geopolitical crises.

While New Delhi has no intention of exploiting Chinese vulnerabilities in the South China Sea given its long-standing territorial dispute with Beijing, it is all for maintaining peace and stability in the waterway due to interlinked repercussions.

Indonesia has continued to push for the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which includes an ongoing draft code of conduct that Indonesia was prioritizing, he further said.

Kerry said the US position on maritime issues in the region remain “clear”, demanding that “traditional historic freedom of navigation and overflight to be respected”. Its statement did not say how close the Chinese fighter came to the U.S. plane.

Pacific Command also took pains to point out that of the many, many encounters between Chinese and American ships and aircraft, only a small number are serious enough to strain relations.

China’s Defense Ministry defended the pilot’s actions, saying their pilots operate “in accordance with laws and regulations”.

“If the Pentagon continues its close-up offshore surveillance operations against China, as our military prowess increases, more interceptions can be expected”.

Over the past couple years, China has constructed artificial islands on reefs in the South China Sea, and populated them with a military barracks, a lookout tower, and even a runway.

China has repeatedly criticized USA military presence in the region and suspects the military drills are part of efforts to contain Beijing.