Chinese, Japanese jets had 'near miss' over Pacific

ISTANBUL

A Chinese fighter jet on Wednesday had a “near miss” flight engagement with a Japanese military patrol plane over the Pacific, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported, citing the Japanese government.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said that the Chinese aircraft flew as close as 45 meters (nearly 148 feet) away from a Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) patrol plane after taking off from a moving aircraft carrier.

The plane from the aircraft carrier Shandong also carried out other dangerous maneuvers, including flying across the front of an SDF aircraft on Saturday and Sunday, the ministry said.

It added that the Japanese government had lodged a protest with China and demanded a halt to such actions.

The incident came a day after Japan said it sighted for the first time two Chinese carriers simultaneously sailing in the western Pacific, namely Liaoning and Shandong.

China's aircraft carrier Shandong and four other vessels entered Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Monday, Japan's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Shandong, commissioned in 2019 as China's second aircraft carrier, conducted landing and takeoff drills involving its fighter jets and helicopters north of the Okinotori, some 1,700 km (1,056 miles) south of Tokyo, within Japan's exclusive economic zone, the ministry said.

China, for its part, defended the aircraft carrier's activities, saying they are "fully consistent with international law and international practices."

"China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. We hope Japan will view those activities objectively and rationally," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing on Monday.