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Beijing has reacted strongly to US allegations of a fighter jet crash in the South China Sea. The Chinese military claims that an American pilot performed dangerous maneuvers. While Washington says a Chinese pilot acted recklessly.
On 21 December, the two military aircraft approached within a few meters of each other. According to the US, the American RC-135 reconnaissance plane was forced to turn because the Chinese J-11 fighter got too close. The US military released footage of the incident a few days ago.
‘soon’
The Chinese military has now also released images of the threatening situation. In Staatskrant Global Times A Chinese official accuses the United States of slandering and “faking” the incident. He claims that the American pilot put the Chinese fighter jet in serious danger by acting “suddenly”.
Check out the images from the two cockpits here:
American and Chinese fighter jets dangerously close together
The released footage is inconclusive as to who was at fault. Both videos are 30 seconds long and show the two devices approaching each other, but it’s unclear who takes the lead. Both sides say they have complied with international rules, while the other has not.
The confrontation between the two aircraft ultimately ended in fiasco. But when two military aircraft approach each other so closely, the possibility of a crash is real, with a possible escalation as a result.
Geopolitical battle for the South China Sea
The incident further strained the already strained relations between the United States and China. With control of the South China Sea at stake, the two superpowers and their allies have been embroiled in geopolitical clashes for years. Beijing believes that almost all of the sea should be under direct Chinese influence, while countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim part of it.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration, which deals with international disputes, ruled in 2016 that China should not exercise authority over, for example, the part claimed by the Philippines. But that hasn’t stopped China from ramping up its military presence in the disputed sea. For example, the country has built artificial islands with runways for Chinese aviation.
