SCMP: China vows to act against intensified US military surveillance 中國誓言採取反制措施加強對付美國軍用偵察機 - Ministry warns of increased threat of military miscalculation as America steps up snooping

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SCMP: China vows to act against intensified US military surveillance 中國誓言採取反制措施加強對付美國軍用偵察機 - Ministry warns of increased threat of military miscalculation as America steps up snooping

A Chinese J-11 fighter jet is seen flying near a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon east of China's Hainan Island. Photo: Reuters

The Defence Ministry has vowed to take action against military surveillance by the United States off China's coast as it rejected Washington's claim that a Chinese fighter jet recklessly intercepted a US Navy aircraft last week.

Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said at a monthly press briefing yesterday that the threat of a military miscalculation had increased because the US had intensified surveillance of China's military. He said China would take steps to respond.

"We are closely monitoring the surveillance activities of the US military. We will take relevant measures to defend our maritime and air security based on the different levels of the threat," Yang said.

The US military always "comes to us uninvited when the Chinese army is having drills, training or staging experiments", he said. "Sometimes it even intrudes into the drills or training areas which China announced before the exercises took place."

His remarks came as talks in Washington between the two nations to set military rules of behaviour at sea were overshadowed by the alleged near collision last week between a Chinese fighter and a US surveillance plane in international airspace off Hainan Island .

Washington said the Chinese J-11 jet came within nine metres of US Navy P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance plane and that Beijing had previously been informed of US surveillance missions.

Yang said the frequency and the scope of US surveillance against China's military had intensified in recent years, but Washington had not notified Beijing of its plans.

"Such moves undermine the national security of China and damage the mutual strategic trust and bilateral ties of the two nations," Yang said. "China calls upon the US to reduce or even stop the close surveillance of China's military."

Yang said the pilot of the Chinese jet reacted in a professional manner and had flown safely.

"Compared with a nation which asks its pilots to fly around the doorstep of other countries every day, China treasures the safety of our personnel and equipment more," he said.

Military observers said last week's encounter could have led to a serious confrontation similar to the 2001 incident when a Chinese pilot was killed after his fighter jet and a US spy plane collided near Hainan.

Teddy Ng in Beijingteddy.ng@scmp.com

中美軍機對峙凸顯兩國戰略分歧

解放軍一架戰機與美國海軍一架巡邏機上週在中國南部海岸相遇。分析師表示，事件顯示中美對於對方的亞洲戰略目標存在猜疑。

上週三，美國海軍一架P-8巡邏機與中國一架J-11戰機在海南島附近的南海海域上空相遇。兩國分別於週末說明事件，但說法各不相同。美國國防部表示，中國戰機多次迫近美國軍機，雙方距離一度只有9米。中國國防部稱這一說法“完全站不住腳”，並稱中方飛行員的相關操作是專業的，與美機保持了安全距離。

中國海軍一名軍官說，美國軍機當時可能正在追蹤參加軍事演習的中國核潛艇。

中方指責說，美軍經常在中國沿海實施軍事偵察行動，是改善中美雙邊軍事關係的一大障礙。但美國堅稱根據國際法，美國有權展開這樣的行動。

在去年一個峰會上，中國國家主席習近平與美國總統奧巴馬一致同意兩國構建新型大國關係，但中美關係卻依然緊張。

澳大利亞獨立研究中心（Centre for Independent Studies）研究員本傑明•赫斯科維奇（Benjamin Herscovitch）認為，中美對於彼此在亞洲的戰略目標抱有疑慮，這將持續削弱兩國為構建“新型大國關係”所做的努力。

澳大利亞迪肯大學國際關係學教授潘成鑫表示，中美雙方都應制定規條以免將來再次出現危險的情況。

他說，兩國需要尊重對方在安全問題上的憂慮，並共同商定行為準則。

潘成鑫指出，2001年中國海軍一架J-8戰機與美國海軍一架EP-3偵察機在海南附近的南海海域上空相撞，導致中美關係惡化。

目前，中國正逐步加強軍事實力，以維護在區內的領土主權，而美國也正根據奧巴馬提出的“重返亞洲”戰略，日益加強在亞洲的軍事影響力。赫爾斯科維奇說，儘管中美軍方致力建立友好關係，但這類事件會越來越多，中美關係仍將持續緊張。

他說，中美軍事關係取決於兩國戰略關係，而由於中美之間出現一系列矛盾，兩國戰略關係正日益惡化。他指出，中美關係向來緊張，歸根結柢是出於外交和政治原因，而非軍事原因，並認為中美軍方並沒有能力改善這種緊張關係。