The US Pentagon has released footage from some of more than 180 intercepts of US warplanes by Chinese aircraft in the last two years.
It is more than the total amount over the previous decade and part of a trend US military officials called concerning.
The photos and video were released in advance of a soon-to-be issued annual report by the Pentagon on the China’s military power and the security threats it may pose to partners in the Indo-Pacific.
The Pentagon has tried for years to posture itself to be ready for a potential conflict with China over Taiwan, even as it now finds itself supporting allies in Ukraine and Israel.
Admiral John Acquilino, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, told a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday that despite the US sending carrier strike groups and amphibious ships to support Israel and almost 20 months of war in Ukraine, the command has what it needs to deter China.
“I haven’t had one piece of equipment or force structure depart,” he said, referring to ships, aircraft and military units.
“We have been taking a number of steps to strengthen our commitment to the region, strengthen our deterrence in the region and we will continue to do that.”
The officials said the Chinese flights were risky and aggressive in nature, but stopped short of calling most of them unsafe — a term used only in the most egregious cases.
Still the officials said it was important to release the footage and call out the behaviour because they said it was part of a larger trend of regional intimidation by China that could accidentally lead to conflict.
“All of these examples we’ve released today underscore the coercive intent of (China) by engaging in behaviours, particularly in international airspace,” said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs.
“The bottom line is that in many cases, this type of operational behaviour can cause active and dangerous accidents.”
