A Chinese fighter jet has approached a US B-52 bomber with a distance of merely three meters (approximately 10 feet) while in flight above the South China Sea, as stated by the United States military. Beijing, on the other hand, holds Washington accountable for the occurrence.
The maneuver nearly resulted in an accident, highlighting the potential for a mishap at a time when both nations were competing for control of the area. During the night-time interception, the Shenyang J-11 twin-engine fighter jet swiftly approached the US aircraft at “uncontrolled excessive speed, flying beneath, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, placing both planes in significant danger of colliding,” as mentioned in the statement.
“The fact that this pilot seemed to be unaware of the proximity to causing a collision is a cause for concern,” added the military.
China’s foreign ministry shifted the blame to the US, implying that Washington deliberately provoked the situation by flying its aircraft over the South China Sea.
“The US military planes have traveled thousands of miles to China’s vicinity in order to demonstrate their power,” stated Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning.
“This is the root cause of maritime and air security risks, and it does not contribute to regional peace and stability.”
In my opinion, the Chinese jet is completely wrong in this case due to being over the speed limit and unaware of the collision. Which pilot’s behavior shows much irresponsibility that is able to damage both sides.
Al Jazeera is an interesting source. A good alternative to American news sources.