A close midair encounter between U.S. and Chinese military planes last week reflected long-running tensions in the skies—a rivalry that is building under the waters below, as well.
The Defense Department didn’t explain the mission for the U.S. Navy P-8 aircraft—a plane designed to track submarines—that was intercepted by a Chinese J-11 fighter over the South China Sea to the east of China’s Hainan Island on Aug. 19. U.S. officials say in that encounter, and several others in recent months, Chinese fighter pilots have flown dangerously close to U.S. aircraft.
One Chinese rear admiral said the U.S. plane was likely spying on China’s nuclear submarines.
The midair intercepts come as the U.S. military has warned that Beijing is quickly expanding its submarine force, including a fleet of Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile subs.
Read Full Article HERE
James T. Areddy, Wall Street Journal via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1nCrCob
No comments:
Post a Comment