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Increasing Chinese ‘unsafe’ intercepts in the air’: US Navy


US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft.

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SINGAPORE – The commander of the US 7th Fleet said on Tuesday he has seen an increase in “unsafe” aerial intercepts by the Chinese military in the South China Sea region.

As recently as May, a Chinese fighter plane was accused of intercepted a Royal Australian Air Force P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea region in a manner that the Australian Defense Department deems “dangerous” to Australian aircraft and crew. The ministry said the Chinese plane that fired the chaff was sucked into the Australian plane’s engine.

“This reported increase in air is clearly related to … it’s not an forgivable environment if something goes wrong while you’re in the air,” said Karl Thomas.

The Chinese embassy in Singapore did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Thomas said at a press conference in Singapore that keeping sea lanes clear is the “first and foremost” mission of the US Navy.

“Sea routes are the lifeblood of our economy…yes open sea and having ships that can operate… is vitally important to keeping the economy running,” the vice admiral said.

About 80% of global trade volume will be transported by sea by 2021, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

The South China Sea has some of the busiest trade shipping lanes in the world. China claims almost all the watersalthough other countries including the United States do not acknowledge that claim and it was not held in an international arbitration court.

Dangerous interceptions remain ‘infrequent’

Thomas was careful to note that dangerous interceptions in the air were still rare.

“We don’t see it happening very often. It’s not like every day, something is happening. It’s an infrequent action,” he said. “And then you start asking yourself – is it because it’s an unprofessional pilot? Or is it something broader than that?”

The commander defends so-called “freedom of navigation” operations by the United States and other nations as part of a rules-based order consistent with United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He asserted that China’s claims to the South China Sea need to be “challenged.”

“If you don’t challenge it, the point is it becomes the norm… People just accept it. And then suddenly, people can claim like the entire South China Sea is their territorial sea.”



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