Chinese jet came within ‘20 feet of US aircraft’

E-Paper | March 17, 2026

WASHINGTON: A Chinese military plane came within 20 feet (six metres) of the nose of a US air force aircraft in the contested South China Sea last week and forced it to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid a collision in international airspace, the US military said on Thursday.

The close encounter followed what the United States has called a recent trend of “increasingly dangerous behaviour” by Chinese military aircraft.

The incident, which involved a “Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet” and a US air force RC-135 aircraft, took place on Dec 21, the US military said in a statement.

“We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law,” it added.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2022

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SAk

Dec 30, 2022 10:21am

Two plane dangerously came close to each other. So it was dangerous behaviour of only first plane not the second one?

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KHAN

Dec 30, 2022 10:47am

Why can't the United States first explain why its reconnaissance plane flies far away from its own country but close to Chinese territory?

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ENGR Hamid Shafiq

Dec 30, 2022 11:41am

First time USA neck to neck opponent.

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Shaun

Dec 30, 2022 11:48am

@KHAN, It is an international airspace and does not belong to China. But the donations from US is fine, but very quick to complain against them and not China. What a hypocrite?

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Simba

Dec 30, 2022 12:40pm

@SAk , yes PRC plane was aggressive in international airspace.

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Realist.

Dec 30, 2022 02:46pm

Smells of War.

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KHAN

Dec 31, 2022 05:33pm

@Shaun , It is indeed not China's airspace, but it is very close to China's territory, but thousands of kilometers away from the United States territory. If you fly near American territory, what will Americans do to you? What will happen to you?

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