According to a new legal analysis conducted by the United States Indo-Pacific Command, China’s military is escalating the use of dangerous aerial intercepts of American and allied aircraft in Asia. These intercepts have the potential to result in the loss of life as well as a global crisis.
On April 9, 2023, a J-15 Chinese fighter jet took off from the Shandong aircraft carrier as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command’s combat readiness patrol and military drills off Taiwan Island. Local maritime authorities in China have issued a warning about possible rocket debris in waters northeast of Taiwan, stating that ships will be prohibited from approaching the area on April 16. The declaration comes after China conducted large-scale military maneuvers, which officially finished on Monday, in retaliation to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s transit visit to the United States last week. (Source: An Ni/Xinhua via AP, File)
Dangerous China Military Aerial Intercepts Could Possibly Result in Global Crisis
According to the findings of the investigation, aircraft belonging to the People’s Liberation Army carried out approaches that were dangerously close to the ground, participated in risky maneuvers, and disregarded generally recognized rules and standards for flying. According to the argument presented in the paper, forcible aircraft intercepts “disregard international law and create significant risks of mishap, collision, or loss of life.” An unplanned occurrence that arises as a consequence of a potentially dangerous air intercept has the potential to set off a catastrophe on a global scale.
The findings of this analysis are consistent with previous statements made by top United States generals stationed in the region. These generals have stated that risky aircraft intercepts by China are a growing concern that is increasing the likelihood of a global crisis. The senior Air Force officer in the region, Officer Kenneth S. Wilsbach, stated that although U.S. military planes “do fly a lot close to China,” the Chinese government is the one that is putting the world in danger by engaging in unsafe intercepts.
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