Pentagon Warns Risky and Coercive China Air Encounters Could Trigger a War
China is engaged in a systematic program of military intimidation and coercion involving dangerous jet intercepts of U.S. and allied aircraft that could trigger a U.S.-China conflict, the Pentagon’s senior policymaker for Asia said Tuesday.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner told reporters the Chinese military is engaged in a coordinated campaign featuring “risky and coercive” actions by jet fighters that have made close passes to U.S. and allied aircraft flying in international airspace.
More than 180 incidents involving U.S. aircraft have taken place, mainly over the South China Sea and East China Sea, since 2021. The number over just the past two years is more than occurred during the entire decade prior to 2021.
The incidents have included what Mr. Ratner said were “reckless maneuvers” by Chinese Su-27 and J-16 jets flying very close to, or in front of, patrolling U.S. aircraft. In some cases, the Chinese jets released chaff or flares that could have damaged the engines of the U.S. aircraft.
When added to an additional number of dangerous intercepts involving allied aircraft, the total number of risky incidents is nearly 300, Mr. Ratner said. (Read more from “Pentagon Warns Risky and Coercive China Air Encounters Could Trigger a War” HERE)
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