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The video shows a dramatic moment of a Chinese fighter jet buzzing close to a US spy plane. Photo/Sputnik
WASHINGTON – Dramatic footage showing a fighter plane China perform aggressive maneuvers against reconnaissance aircraft United States of America (USA) as tensions between the two countries escalate.
The US military released video of the dramatic moment, slamming a Chinese Air Force J-16 fighter pilot who performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver during the May 26 intercept of a US Air Force RC-135 aircraft.
“The pilot flew directly into the nose of the US aircraft, and forced the surveillance aircraft to fly past the turbulence,” said US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).
“The incident occurred in international airspace over the South China Sea,” he said as quoted by Newsweek, Wednesday (31/5/2023).
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have increased in recent months, not least because of China’s animosity towards Taiwan and the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon earlier this year.
A senior US defense official said there had been an alarming increase in the number of interceptions and risky aerial confrontations at sea by Chinese ships and aircraft, according to reports.
The video published by USINDOPACOM shows a J-16 fighter jet from inside the cockpit of an RC-135, with the Chinese aircraft passing in front of the surveillance aircraft. The camera is then seen shaking as the jet passes.
USINDOPACOM said US aircraft had conducted safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, in accordance with international law.
“US Joint Indo-Pacific Forces will continue to fly in international airspace observing the safety of all ships and aircraft under international law,” he said.
