(Washington Comprehensive) The US military said that in the South China Sea International Airspace, a fighter aircraft in China was close to the US reconnaissance aircraft to force US military aircraft regulations to avoid collision.
The incident occurred on December 21, and the U.S. Indo -Pacific Command was announced after verifying the details and approved the decryption of photos and videos. It was announced on Thursday (December 29).
The Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that a U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft was "legally implemented in the South China Sea International Airspace" during the incident."Execute unsafe operation" during the plane.
Thestatement revealed that Chinese pilots were flying within 20 feet (6 meters) in the front of the US reconnaissance aircraft, "forcing the RC-135 aircraft to avoid collision to avoid actions."
However, Reuters quoted the US military spokesman that when Chinese fighters were closest, it was less than 10 feet from the US military wings.
Video shows that the F-11 fighter of the Chinese Navy Aviation Mount four missiles.According to China's "nine -segment line" claim, China has more than 80%of the South China Sea, and its scope of its scope is overlapped with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The United States has repeatedly criticized China's actions in the South China Sea, and tried to challenge China's territorial claims through free operations and military reconnaissance flights through maritime sailing.
The US Department of Defense officials worry that the incident similar to last week may lead to the repetition of the South China Sea Campaign.In April 2001, an EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft in the U.S. Navy collided with a Chinese fighter, resulting in the first diplomatic crisis of the then President Bush.
In June this year, the US Defense Minister Austin once said: "We see the PLA aircraft and warships for dangerous air interception and the number of confrontation at sea, which is shocking."
A spokesman for the Indo -Pacific Command Renis said that the incident last week "reflects the trend of unsafe behavior of unsafe and hazardous air interception ... We hope that all countries in the Indian Ocean -Pacific region can be based on international law.Use international airspace safely. "
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin pointed out at a regular press conference on Friday: "The United States has frequently sent ships to conduct nearly reconnaissance against China for a long time, which seriously endangers China's national security.The root of the root. "
He said: "We will continue to take necessary measures to firmly maintain their sovereignty and security, and continue to be in the same regional country to firmly maintain peace and stability of the South China Sea."
