**An alarming incident has occurred over the South China Sea, with a Chinese fighter jet executing an aggressive maneuver near a US Air Force plane. This bold display by China indicates further escalating tensions, as Joe Biden’s America remains uncertain in dealing with such provocations.**
In a recent encounter on May 26, a Chinese J-16 aircraft performed an “unnecessarily aggressive” maneuver near a US RC-135 plane flying over the South China Sea in international airspace. The US military command responsible for the Indo-Pacific issued a statement acknowledging the incident and stressing that the US will continue to operate safely and responsibly within international law.
This bold incident is not the first time the Chinese military has come uncomfortably close to American aircraft. Earlier this year, a Chinese fighter jet flew within 500 feet of a US Navy plane, which had a CNN and NBC News crew on board. As tensions rose, a Chinese air force ground station issued a radio warning to the US plane, stating, “No approaching any more, or you will pay full responsibility.”
The US Navy surveillance plane was in international airspace over the South China Sea during this close encounter, and the NBC News reporter aboard the plane reported seeing the Chinese fighter pilot. This alarming event followed another similar incident in December when a Chinese fighter jet flew within 20 feet of an American military aircraft.
According to US officials, the Chinese pilot “performed an unsafe maneuver” while flying near the Air Force plane. Meanwhile, the US Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs stated that the American pilot was lawfully flying over the South China Sea when the Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close and buzzed the American military aircraft.
**As China continues to display its bravado in these potentially dangerous encounters, Joe Biden’s America must find a way to effectively respond to such provocations and restore peace and order. However, as incidents like these become increasingly common, it remains to be seen if the Biden administration can handle these tense situations with the steady hand required.**
