A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of an American B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident, the U.S. military said, underscoring the potential for a mishap as both countries vie for influence in the region. In the night intercept, the Shenyang J-11 twin-engine fighter closed on the U.S. Air Force plane at an \u201cuncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of a collision,\u201d the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement released late Thursday. \u201cWe are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision,\u201d the military said.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in a similar incident in May, the Chinese government dismissed American complaints and demanded that Washington end such flights over the South China Sea. China has been increasingly assertive in advancing its claims on most of the South China Sea as its territorial waters, a position rejected by the U.S. and other countries that use the vast expanse of ocean for shipping. China\u2019s claims have led to longstanding territorial disputes with other countries in the South China Sea, one of the world\u2019s busiest trade routes. A Chinese coast guard ship and an accompanying vessel last week rammed a Philippine coast guard ship and a military-run supply boat off a contested shoal in the waterway.<\/p>\n
The U.S. and its allies regularly conduct maritime manoeuvres in the South China Sea, and also regularly fly aircraft over the area to emphasise that the waters and airspace are international. The B-52 was \u201clawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace\u201d when it was intercepted by the J-11 on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. Intercepts are common, with the U.S. saying that there have been more than 180 such incidents since the fall of 2021. They are not often as close as Tuesday\u2019s incident, however, and with tensions already high between Beijing and Washington, a collision would have had the potential to lead to an escalation. The U.S. military said in its statement that the incident will not change its approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe U.S. will continue to fly, sail and operate \u2013 safely and responsibly \u2013 wherever international laws allow,\u201d the military said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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