China Releases Video Showing Provocative Move By U.S Ship USS Ralph Johnson In South China Sea

China and the U.S. each released video clips that accused one another of provocative actions by the military craft within and around the South China Sea, escalating the rhetoric by both nations in the much-disputed water body.

The Chinese clip reflected that on 19 August, the USS Ralph Johnson conducted close-in harassment against a China-based navy task group working routine training in the South China Sea. It further accused the American destroyer of provocative actions like making a very sharp turn, sudden acceleration/deceleration and coming within about 670 meters, or about 730 yards.

Wu Qian, China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson, mentioned at a press briefing on Thursday that the video reflects that the U.S. side is the provoker, disrupter, and risk-taker.

The U.S. war vessel’s actions risk the national security of China, per Wu.

Some hours later, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command published a video that it mentioned reflected a Chinese J-11 fighter trying to execute quite an unsafe intercept of the U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber that had lawfully been conducting operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.

It added that the 24 October intercept was carried out at night and put both the craft at the risk of a collision.

The clip shows that the Chinese plane first approached the B-52 from behind, then flew past it from a very close distance before it veered away.

The U.S. has been open about posting similar footage. However, it is rare for China’s military to release video of such encounters with the army of the U.S. China’s move came through after the Pentagon mentioned last week that Chinese warplanes have increased risky and coercive behaviour in the waters of the South China Sea.

The duelling summaries of the events occurred as Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, visited Washington. He had to meet Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, to discuss how to ease the tensions and prepare for a plausible formal meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held in San Francisco in November.

Wang was also likely to meet Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor, on Friday and greet Biden.

China has been claiming almost all of the South China Sea to be its own, and it bristles at military activities carried out by the U.S. and partners in this zone. Earlier in October, a Canadian general had criticized China’s air force regarding an episode off the coast of the Asian country that saw a fighter cut off one patrol plane and also drop flares in its way.

By posting the video of the encounters, China seems to want to show that it has been behaving responsibly. At the same time, the troublemaker in the zone is the U.S., even though Washington has insisted that its military activities are being carried out in international airspace and in international waters. The video said that the U.S. maneuvers were violating deals between the nations on the behavior of captains while at sea.

The U.S. military has recently published many photographs and videos highlighting the behaviour of China’s fighter pilots toward American counterparts in international airspace. The incidents above the South and East China Seas reflect pilots of the People’s Liberation Army coming within 20 feet of the U.S. aircraft and, in some moments, also cutting in front of them.

The Philippines has also been stepping up its efforts to show what it claimed to have been “aggressive” acts by the Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. It has also released videos and photographs of almost eight incidents involving ships from China in 2023, often via social media.

On Wednesday, Biden reportedly warned China that the U.S. would be compelled to intervene if Beijing tries to attack the Philippine vessels in the South China Sea. On Sunday, a vessel belonging to the China Coast Guard also collided with the Philippines’ resupply boat, and a China-based maritime militia boat slammed into a ship that belongs to the Philippine Coast Guard some hours later.

References: Bloomberg, Times Of India

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