Risky maneuver in the Pacific: Chinese fighter jet almost collides with Japanese patrol aircraft

Tensions between China and Japan have escalated in the Pacific after a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to a Japanese jet. The aircraft, a J-15 of the Chinese Navy, took off from the Shandong aircraft carrier and flew within meters of a Japanese Self-Defense Force (SDF) patrol. The incident occurred in international waters and resulted in no injuries, but Japan has expressed concern about this and other risky maneuvers by Chinese fighter jets, reports the Guardian .

Japan's Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi called on the Chinese government to refrain from such dangerous maneuvers in the future: "We have expressed our concern to the Chinese side and strongly requested that such things not happen again," Hayashi said.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense also announced that another Chinese J-15 jet was observed engaging in "dangerous activities," including narrowly overflying a Japanese fighter jet that was flying at approximately the same altitude. According to Reuters , a similar incident occurred in 2014.

According to the Guardian, China has intensified its naval and air activities in the Pacific to demonstrate its power in the region. While China routinely deploys warships to disputed islands in the East China Sea, the country now appears to be expanding its reach even further.

China's military and government have not yet publicly responded to Japan's criticism. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry defended the recent exercises involving two aircraft carriers in the Pacific and urged Japan to view them "objectively and rationally." Spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the Chinese warships' operations were in accordance with international law and practice and that China was merely pursuing a defensive posture.

The Shandong and another Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, recently entered Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Pacific for the first time. The Shandong conducted maneuvers off Japan's southernmost island of Okinotori, while the Liaoning conducted similar exercises outside the zone. It was the first time China has sent two aircraft carriers to the Western Pacific.