The United States accuses Beijing of an “unnecessarily aggressive” maneuver over the South China Sea

May 31. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The United States Armed Forces have accused the Chinese authorities on Tuesday of carrying out an “unnecessarily aggressive” military maneuver over the South China Sea.

The United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) has indicated that last Friday a Chinese fighter pilot carried out “an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” during the interception of a US Air Force plane.

According to an INDOPACOM statement, the Chinese pilot “flew directly” in front of the US aircraft, forcing the latter to fly through its wake turbulence. Thus, he stressed that the US fighter was “carrying out safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.”

In this regard, he added that INDOPACOM “will continue to fly in international airspace with due respect for the safety of all ships and aircraft in accordance with International Law.” “We hope that all countries in the Indo-Pacific region will use international airspace safely,” the letter said.

China maintains a territorial dispute with several countries in the region — such as Vietnam or the Philippines — because it considers that Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty over the islands of the South China Sea and its adjacent waters.” Significant hydrocarbon reserves were discovered on the continental shelf of these islands, especially in the Xisha Islands (the Paracel Islands), Nansha (the Spratly Islands) and Huangyan (the Scarborough Reef).