Chinese fighter jet comes within 10 feet of US bomber at ‘uncontrolled excessive speed’

A Chinese fighter jet flew within 10 feet of an American B-52 bomber, the US military said on Thursday.

The US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM) condemned the actions of a Chinese pilot in the South China Sea, who they said ‘flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner.’

The Chinese pilot, operating a Shenyang J-11 fighter jet, ‘demonstrated poor airmanship by closing with uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52,’ PACOM said.

The military said the maneuver put both the Chinese and the American aircraft at risk.

Caption: In this image made from video provided by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a People???s Republic of China J-11 is seen from a U.S. Air Force B-52 aircraft, over the South China Sea on Oct. 24, 2023. A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of an American B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident, the U.S. military said, underscoring the potential for a mishap as both countries vie for influence in the region.(U.S. Indo-Pacific Commandvia AP) Provider: AP Source: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command(Credits: AP)

‘We are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision,’ PACOM said.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials placed the blame for the incident on the American bomber’s presence in the region.

‘The US military planes traveled thousands of miles to China’s doorstep to flex muscle,’ Chinese Foreign Secretary Mao Ning said. ‘That is the source of maritime and air security risks, and is not conducive to regional peace and stability.’

PACOM did not comment on what operations the B-52 was conducting over the South China Sea.

‘The US will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international laws allow,’ PACOM said, adding that the US military ‘remains dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and we expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific to operate in international airspace safely and in accordance with international law.’

Over the past year, China has been pushing its claim on the South China Sea over strong objections from the US and its neighbors.

The South China Sea is home to dozens of uninhabited islands and reefs, which are disputed between China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. China claims most of these islands

An International Court of Arbitration case decided against China’s claim on the islands in 2016. The Chinese government has rejected this ruling.

This has lead to numerous standoffs between Chinese and neighboring militaries this year, including an incident that saw a Chinese ship fire water cannons at a Filipino supply boat near the Second Thomas Shoal.

Last week, the Filipino Coast Guard accused a Chinese Coast Guard ship of ramming into one of their vessels in the same shoal.

It has also lead to tense confrontations with the US military. In June, a Chinese naval vessel came within 150 yards of an American destroyer conducting exercises in the Taiwan Strait.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden reiterated his support for the Philippines in the ongoing territorial dispute.

‘Any attack on the Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our mutual defense treaty with the Philippines,’ Biden said at a press conference following a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

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