PLA shows his own vision of the incident

Beijing has responded strongly to US allegations of a fighter jet incident over the South China Sea. The Chinese military claims that it was an American pilot who made dangerous maneuvers. While Washington claims that a Chinese pilot acted recklessly.

On December 21, the two military aircraft approached each other up to several meters. According to the US, the American reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 was forced to retreat, because the Chinese J-11 fighter jet came too close. The US military released video footage of the incident a few days ago.

The Chinese army has also released images of the threatening situation. In the state newspaper Global Times, a Chinese officer accuses the US of defamation and the “hype” of the incident. He states that the American pilot seriously endangered the Chinese fighter jet by acting “suddenly”.

The video footage released does not reveal who was at fault. Both videos last 30 seconds and show that the two devices are getting closer and closer, but it remains unclear who takes the initiative. Both sides claim that they have adhered to international rules – and the other, on the contrary, has not.

The confrontation between the two aircraft eventually ended with a hiss. But if two military aircraft approach each other so closely, the chance of an accident is real, with a possible escalation as a result.

Geopolitical battle for the South China Sea

The incident further escalates the already tense relationship between the US and China. With control of the South China Sea at stake, the two great powers and their allies have been engaged in a geopolitical game for years. Beijing believes that almost the entire sea should be under direct Chinese influence, while countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim a part.

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 doesn’t stop China from increasing its military presence in the disputed sea. For example, the country has created artificial islands with runways for the Chinese Air Force.

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