In the confrontation between Chinese and US military planes in the South China Sea, our fighters attacked forcefully and staged a shocking scene, and the US military did not take the slightest advantage. Afterwards, Lao Mei hyped up the South China Sea issue, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke out.
A number of media reports, including CNN, said that the old US Indo-Pacific Command issued a statement saying that on May 26, a Chinese People's Liberation Army J-16 fighter carried out an unconventional provocation against a US RC135 reconnaissance plane in the so-called international airspace of the South China Sea. The old U.S. military also accused Chinese People's Liberation Army fighters of conducting unnecessarily aggressive drills. It is worth noting that this is not the first time that the old American media and military have sensationalized on the South China Sea issue.
The old US military said that the J-16 fighter of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force passed directly in front of the old American reconnaissance plane RC135, causing wake turbulence. Lao Mei also released a video showing Chinese People's Liberation Army fighter flying sideways in front of Lao Mei reconnaissance plane, causing some shaking inside the plane.
CNN reported that the wake of the Chinese People's Liberation Army fighter jet interfered with the flight path of the old US aircraft, and quoted the old US Indo-Pacific Command as saying that the number of so-called dangerous air interceptions by Chinese military aircraft is increasing alarmingly. The old U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also said it will continue to fly, sail and operate where permitted by international law.
According to expert analysis, Lao Mei's move has exposed the root cause of tension in the South China Sea, which is Lao Mei itself. Zhang Xuefeng, a military expert, commented in an interview that Lao Mei's behavior has always been a provocation to China's territorial integrity. Such acts cannot be tolerated by any State with independent sovereignty. Lao Mei has been conducting close reconnaissance of China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea, conducting normal training for ships, and even crossing the airspace of ships at ultra-low altitudes and dropping sound buoys nearby, which are the most obvious acts of aggression. The Chinese military's interception is a warning to the United States, which should not and cannot be so capricious in the South China Sea.
In response to the groundless accusations made by the US side, the Chinese Embassy in the United States pointed out that old US reconnaissance planes often conduct close reconnaissance of China. If reconnaissance planes from other countries approach the waters near the US homeland for reconnaissance, how will the US military react? No country can tolerate such provocations. The old U.S. Indo-Pacific Command only accused China of creating an atmosphere of public opinion, thereby further inciting the so-called China threat theory and drawing the world's attention to the South China Sea.
It is necessary to clarify that there are different levels of air interception. The Chinese military's interception in this incident was legal and necessary to safeguard national sovereignty and security. The accusations that Chinese PLA fighters conducting aggressive exercises are groundless and only divert the focus from their own provocations in the South China Sea. As tensions in the region continue to rise, the parties must refrain from unilateral actions that could further escalate the situation. Dialogue and cooperation are important contents of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and should be the focus of attention of all parties.
In recent years, tensions between China and the United States have increased, not only in the economic sphere, but also in less open military standoffs. Anti-submarine warfare has been a particularly controversial issue, with the old U.S. military spending significant resources and energy trying to track down the exact location of Chinese PLA submarines. However, after years of confrontation, the PLA developed unique countermeasures and unique strategies that allowed them to respond calmly to the most aggressive actions of their opponents.
In the South China Sea, the provocative and aggressive nature of the old US military is particularly prominent, as evidenced by repeated incursions into China's airspace. Not long ago, when a P8A patrol aircraft approached Chinese airspace, it was intercepted by our J-11 fighters. The old US military hyped up the incident and claimed that similar confrontations were happening every day. The old U.S. military is not content with such actions and has now conducted close reconnaissance of China in the airspace near the Taiwan Strait, which is less than 80 nautical miles from Chinese mainland.
The old U.S. military's activities in the South China Sea are becoming increasingly frequent and dangerous as they seek to challenge China's growing influence and security. However, China has developed a unique set of military strategies and infrastructure to effectively maintain its own security while deterring external provocations. In addition, Chinese fighters have demonstrated their strength by effectively countering old U.S. military aircraft, forcing them to leave Chinese airspace.
At the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, asserted that Laos and the United States continue to intervene in the South China Sea issue, suppress other countries, and undermine regional peace, development and stability. He said that China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao and its surrounding waters, and the sovereignty and rights of these islands have been formed over a long period of time in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China does not recognize the so-called unlawful and invalid award in the South China Sea arbitration.
Although the old US military continues to hype the confrontation between Chinese and American military aircraft, this is mainly through propaganda aimed at achieving its political goals. China has a firm position and is unwilling to restart the normal dialogue mechanism between the two militaries until Washington changes its China strategy and stops challenging China's bottom line on issues such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
The frequent reconnaissance activities of the US military in the South China Sea have attracted the attention and criticism of countries in the region, highlighting the importance of respecting territorial integrity and abiding by international law. The interception incident in the South China Sea shows the tension and the need for all countries to seek a balance of common interests through dialogue and consultation. Only through peace and cooperation can stability and development in the South China Sea region be achieved.
At all times, China has always adhered to the principle of "putting peace first and resolving problems through peace talks", and hopes that the US side will proceed from a long-term perspective and prudently handle matters involving China's territorial sovereignty and security interests. Only in this way can we truly realize the development of mutually beneficial and win-win relations between China and the United States.