Escalating Tensions: US Exposes China's Aggressive Air Tactics in Pacific Skies

Chinese pilots have exhibited an increased frequency of "coercive and risky" actions towards US aircraft in the East and South China Seas over the past two years compared to the entire preceding decade, according to the top Pentagon official responsible for security in the Indo-Pacific. Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, stated that over 180 such incidents have occurred since autumn 2021.

In order to emphasize the recurring pattern, the Pentagon has made public photos and videos that were previously undisclosed, revealing instances of Chinese fighter jets intercepting US aircraft in international airspace. According to the Pentagon, these images, which date back to January 2022, depict Chinese fighter jets persistently approaching US military jets at dangerously close distances as a means of intimidation. Several videos clearly show Chinese fighter jets coming within a mere 20 feet of the US planes.

"It is a synchronized and concentrated campaign aimed at engaging in these perilous actions with the intention of forcing a modification in the legal operational activities of the United States," stated Ratner.

According to the Pentagon, a photograph from August 10 captures a Chinese fighter jet approaching a US jet, resulting in the necessity for the US jet to employ "defensive procedures" in order to evade the Chinese aircraft that came within 50 feet. Additionally, the Chinese plane executed a maneuver known as a "barrel roll" beneath the US jet.

Recently, the Pentagon released photos of a PLA fighter jet swiftly approaching a US aircraft and coming within a mere 50 feet beneath its wing. The pilot from the PLA then proceeded to execute a barrel roll maneuver around and below the US aircraft, prompting the pilot to take defensive measures to avoid a potential collision.

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The photos and videos also show the Chinese jets releasing objects and projectiles, including flares.

Adm. John Aquilino stated that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) must put an immediate stop to this behavior, as Secretary Austin has emphasized multiple times. The Pentagon mentioned that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, along with other officials, has previously expressed concern about this behavior in various settings. These include interactions with General Wei Fenghe, the former Minister of National Defense of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), as well as public remarks made by Secretary Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2022 and 2023.

The Pentagon's attempts to establish communication with Chinese military leaders have been fruitless this year, leaving US officials apprehensive about the absence of military dialogue between the two nations. After Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker, visited Taiwan last year, angering Chinese leaders, Beijing ceased all communication. Aquilino expressed his frustration on Tuesday, stating that he has been requesting meetings with his Chinese counterparts, specifically the eastern and southern theater commanders, for over two years, but none of his requests have been accepted.

The photos and videos are being revealed as the Pentagon prepares to publish its congressionally mandated 2023 "Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China," which is also referred to as the China Military Power Report. This annual assessment comprehensively outlines the recent advancements in China's flourishing and modernizing military, offering crucial information on their nuclear program as well.