China scoffs at U.S. complaints over fighter pilot’s ‘aggressive maneuver’ in worldwide airspace

Beijing is dismissing U.S. protests {that a} Chinese jet fighter buzzed a U.S. plane final week in worldwide airspace over the South China Sea. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry stated the burden is on Washington to finish the continued surveillance missions.

A Chinese J-16 fighter pilot carried out what U.S. officers stated was an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” Friday by flying instantly in entrance of the nostril of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane. The harmful transfer pressured the U.S. pilot to fly by way of the jet fighter’s wake turbulence, officers with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated.

U.S. officers stated the RC-135 was conducting secure and routine operations over the South China Sea in accordance with worldwide regulation.

Yet Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated, “For quite some time, the U.S. side has frequently sent aircraft and vessels to conduct close-in reconnaissance on China, seriously threatening China’s sovereignty and security.”

He added that “such provocative and dangerous moves” are the basis causes of instability within the area and maritime safety points.

“The U.S. needs to immediately stop such dangerous acts of provocation,” she stated. “We will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our sovereignty and security.”

China has asserted its sovereignty over a lot of the huge South China Sea area, a declare that’s not acknowledged by the U.S. and neighboring nations like Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beijing has additionally refused requests from the U.S. for a face-to-face assembly between the protection chiefs of each nations throughout the June 2-4 Shangri-la Dialogue safety discussion board in Singapore. On Tuesday, Ms. Mao instructed reporters that Washington was answerable for the chilliness in any China-U.S. navy dialogue.

“The U.S. should earnestly respect China’s sovereignty, security and interest concerns, immediately correct wrong practices, show sincerity, and create necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogue and communication,” she stated.