July 25, 2017

The Pentagon claimed on Monday that two Chinese fighter jets performed an "unsafe and unprofessional" intercept of a US EP-3 reconnaissance plane while it was flying over the East China Sea the previous day.

The "righteousness" of the Pentagon is ridiculous. The intercept occurred 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) south of Qingdao, which is a major Chinese naval base. US military reconnaissance threatens China's national security and an intercept by the Chinese navy is justified.

The close-in surveillance of the US military around China's coastal strategic areas has been a major problem between China and the US. The US defends such robber acts under the guise of "freedom of navigation and overflight." The Chinese military has exercised restraint when undertaking intercepts. The public actually wanted the US reconnaissance plane to be shot down directly. Of course the PLA would not do it, but the Chinese people really detest US reconnaissance, which is bound to have an impact on the response of the Chinese military. US military planes had better stay away from China's coastal areas.

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http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1058056.shtml