Stop spy flights, China warns the U.S.

[jakeXT]

Source: CNN

Hong Kong (CNN) -- China has warned the United States to end its military surveillance flights near Chinese territory, refuting claims by Washington that a Chinese fighter jet made several "dangerous" and "unprofessional" passes at a U.S. Navy plane last week.

The U.S. should take "concrete measures" towards ending reconnaissance operations off the coast of China if it wants to improve bilateral ties between the two countries, a spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, Yang Yujun, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing Thursday.

On August 19, a Chinese fighter jet intercepted a U.S. Navy Poseidon patrol plane in the South China Sea about 135 miles east of the Chinese island of Hainan, coming as close as 20 feet at one point, according to the Pentagon.

The armed Chinese aircraft crossed close beneath the P-8 Poseidon three times, according to U.S. Defense Department spokesman Rear. Adm. John Kirkby, who described the maneuvers as "pretty aggressive, very unprofessional."

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/29/world/asia/china-us-spy-flights/index.html

---

(Reuters) - One Chinese naval officer has advice for fighter pilots intercepting U.S. surveillance planes in the wake of an incident over the South China Sea last week that Washington condemned as dangerous - fly even closer.

The comments by Rear Admiral Zhang Zhaozhong from the National Defense University in Beijing, reported in state media this week, reflect what Chinese military experts say is China's determination to shield its expanding ballistic missile submarine fleet from U.S. spy planes.

Risky intercepts off China's coast are likely to continue, even intensify, the experts said, adding that such actions could represent a directive from above rather than the actions of rogue pilots.

"We didn't give them enough pressure (before)," Zhang said in the Global Times, a popular tabloid under the official People's Daily newspaper that is known for its nationalist sentiments. "A knife at the throat is the only deterrence. From now on, we must fly even closer to U.S. surveillance aircraft."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/28/us-china-usa-military-idUSKBN0GS2MZ20140828

[newfie11]

1. Can't America use Satellites to spy

Instead of planes?

Seems like we are being the aggressor here.

If China would do the same to us, OMG what a ruckus that would bring.

[jakeXT]

2. Planes can fly below clouds /nt

[BlueEye]

3. Our government knows what a ruckus that would bring...

if people knew what the Chinese are up to. It's a known fact in the Navy that Chinese nuclear submarines are routinely patrolling off the West Coast of the United States. And our subs are off China. Both sides generally prefer these incidents to remain quiet, this one with the P-8 and the Chinese fighters just got a little too hot, apparently.

[Adrahil]

4. P-8's aren't intended as visual reconnaissance planes....

They are there foe ELINT, collecting electronic intelligence. This is so the code breakers can know how to crack Chinese codes in the event they ever need to. And to asses Chinese activity in the area.

[ColesCountyDem]

5. Satellites are useful, but in a limited way.

Most satellites are orbital, not geostationary, so they only offer brief 'windows' a few times per day. They also lack the ability to collect data about fire-control radars, etc. .

[hack89]

6. Satellites can't stay in one area for long periods of time

So they are easy to hide from or to deceive.

[newfie11]

7. So next question

Is China flying spy planes over America?

Just wondering.

[Lurks Often]

8. No and we're not flying planes over China

The American planes are flying in international airspace, more then 100 miles from Chinese land, per the article.

While the Chinese would like to do the same thing, they lack the capability. The Russians on the other hand fly missions off the American coast with some frequency and American fighters manage not to behave recklessly around the Russian aircraft.

[tclambert]

9. I thought we had treaties that required such surveillance.

Remember "trust but verify?"