A Chinese fighter jet nearly collided with an American B-52 bomber over the South China Sea on Tuesday, Oct. 24, according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The U.S. released video of the near collision on social media on Thursday, Oct. 26.
U.S. officials said the Chinese pilot “flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” and “demonstrated poor airmanship” as he flew his J-11 jet within 10 feet of the B-52 bomber, which was conducting routine nighttime operations.
“During the night time intercept, the PRC pilot flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner, demonstrated poor airmanship by closing with uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of collision,” An Indo-Pacific Command release read. “We are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision”
According to the Pentagon, the Chinese fighter jet’s intercept “violated international air safety rules.”
Earlier this month, the Pentagon said the U.S. has seen more instances of “coercive and risky operational behavior” by Chinese pilots over the East and South China Seas in the past two years than in the entire decade before that.
Since the fall of 2021 the U.S. military said there have been more than 180 such interactions between Chinese and U.S. aircraft. On Oct. 17, the Pentagon released photos and videos of some of the nearly 200 incidents ahead of the military’s annual report on China’s military powers and the threats posed to allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
News of this latest incident comes as President Biden is expected to meet with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi at the White House Friday, Oct. 27.