Chinese and US Military Planes 'Encounter' Again?

A recent Washington Times report said: On June 24, two figher-7 planes of the Chinese Air Force soared to the sky and, in the international airspace near the Chinese (mainland) coast on the northern part of Taiwan, close intercepted a US EP-3 reconnaissance plane driven by propeller, both sides flew parallel for several minutes, the two planes were only 50 meters apart at the closest distance.

The report said this was the closest "encounter" of the two military planes since the crash between the Chinese fighter and the US EP-3 reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea in April last year.

The report even quoted a US officer as saying: The fact that Chinese pilots are getting ever-closer to our reconnaissance planes, this shows that the Chinese military is accelerating its harassment of the US reconnaissance planes, the recent air interception is an unsettling signal.

However, the US Defense Department refused to make direct comments on the Washington Times report, the Department's spokesman Davis said: Chinese fighters frequently got closer to US reconnaissance planes in order to confirm the identity of the other side, this practice is nothing unusual, nor does it constitute a threat to us. Davis proceeded to comment: Interception is highly professional, demonstrating an extremely high flying skill.

Then, US media reported that Assistant Secretary of the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman arrived in Beijing June 25 to conduct talks with high- ranking Chinese military officers for three days in an attempt to repair the damaged relations between the two sides since the crash of military planes in April last year.

Report said US high-ranking military officer disclosed that in Beijing Rodman met with Chinese National Defense Minister Chi Haotian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Xiong Guangkai and Vice-foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, but the two sides finally failed to reach any agreement on resumption of military exchanges. Both sides only agreed to continue contacts in the future.

People with discerning eyes have noticed that the Washington Times report was published exactly at the time when Rodman was visiting Beijing and the source of the news report was said to be from the US military. So, what is the relation between the above-mentioned report and Rodman's China visit and what motive is hidden behind the report cannot but aroused people's vigilance.

As everybody knows, after the incident of Sino-US plane crash in April last year, the US military, in disregard of the Chinese side's repeated warnings, flagrantly resumed its reconnaissance over the Chinese coastal areas within one month.

While the Chinese military also carried out all-weather warning cruises over the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea in order to "counter-control" US planes within the first time.

It is reported that thanks to the tactics of awaiting the arrival, supervision, interception, anti-reconnaissance, anti-harassment, driving and sending off, the US military gained not much advantage for its "stealthy watch".

Nevertheless, in this "dangerous game" provoked by the US military, both sides could still "get along well without any trouble" for the time being, the US side also admitted that the frequency of interception was "about the same" as before the incident of plane crash last year.

Then, why was the Washington Times so eager to dish up this report at the time of Rodma's visit to China? The only reasonable explanation is this: As the mouthpiece of US right-wing forces, Washington Times deemed it necessary to reflect the "Hawk's" "different voices" about the resumption of Sino-US military exchange and remind the US government of a possible repetition of plane crash incident" through the "warning" of military personages.

Note the source:

The People's Daily is without a doubt the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Washington Times might have a conservative slant, but they are not the mounthpiece of the "right-wing forces" or the "Hawks"

I love to read Bill Gertz articles. He seems to be the only reporter breaking stories on "The China Threat".

in disregard of the Chinese side's repeated warnings

Sometimes I think this overgrown Third World country needs a good clocking upside the head.

China is still a third world country, just one with lots and lots of people.

That's what daisy cutters are for.

Questions:

(1) Why are these flights continuing without fighter escorts?

(2) Has anyone decided it might be a good idea to install a "panic/destruct" system to slag down all of the equipment and data on these planes?

--Boris

On the China debate, you have 'right wing' who don't know what they are talking about, but are real pissed off at China.

Then you have the 'left wing' who don't know what they are talking about, yet to them China can do no wrong. They hug every panda in sight and defend to the death regardless of any evidence or truth.

Then you have the people who do know what they are talking about, and don't want to put up with a lot of BS from China. They see right through the smoke and want to do something about it.

The latter though tends to get lumped right in with the first.

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