Chinese fighter jet warns US surveillance aircraft in South China Sea area -

Washington: A Chinese fighter jet, armed with missiles, travelled dangerously in proximity to the US surveillance plane in the South China Sea region. Besides, information has come to the fore that the said aircraft and the destroyer have warned the US surveillance plane. Moreover, the US has accused China’s defence forces of aggressiveness even though the US plane was not near the airspace that China claimed. The US analysts have been claiming that this has again highlighted that China has been preparing to dominate the disputed area of the South China Sea.

Additionally, China has stated its claim on the Nine-dash line area in the South China Sea. Also, China has not accepted the maritime and air rights of Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. China has also trampled on the verdict the International Court of Justice gave in favour of the Philippines a few years ago. At the same time, China has warned that military and passenger aircraft of any country should not travel through this area without its permission.

But underlining the freedom of the international sea and air traffic, the US has continued its air and sea patrols in the region. Due to this, the US and Chinese fighter jets have come face to face even before. There were also reports of Chinese fighter jets flying dangerously close to US patrol planes at times. A few days ago, there were allegations that Chinese destroyers intercepted laser lights towards Philippine patrol boats and Australian helicopters.

But on Friday, an incident challenged the US surveillance aircraft in the air and sea area here. While the US Navy’s Poseidon surveillance aircraft travelled through the South China Sea, a Chinese J-11 fighter jet intercepted the US aircraft. It also warned that China’s airspace was 12 nautical miles away. The Chinese fighter jet cautioned that if the US plane continued its journey even after this, the same plane would be responsible for the next consequences.

The aircraft was flying at a distance of just 500 feet from the US surveillance aircraft. Also, according to the leading US news channel journalists who travelled on the Poseidon plane, the Chinese plane was equipped with an air-to-air missile. Therefore, this news channel said the Chinese pilot’s warning had been very serious.

Minutes after this warning, a Chinese naval destroyer armed with anti-aircraft missiles gave another warning to the same surveillance plane. The news channel said that the US plane was threatened to change its route or face the consequences. But his plane was nowhere near the airspace claimed by China, said Poseidon pilot Lt Nikki Slaughter. Exemplifying this, the United States has accused the Chinese aircraft and destroyers of showing aggression against the American surveillance aircraft.

Meanwhile, this phenomenon is not normal within the boundaries of the South China Sea. Analysts in the US claim that China has increased its deployment of aircraft and destroyers in the region. Through this, China has been warning other countries, including the US, of serious consequences.

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