The Facts
On Thursday, US Indo-Pacific Command said that a Chinese navy J-11 fighter jet flew dangerously close to a United States Air Force RC-135 surveillance aircraft over the geopolitically contentious South China Sea on Dec. 21.
According to a US military representative, the PRC jet came within 10 feet (3 meters) of the US plane's wing, but 20 feet (6 meters) from its nose. This reportedly forced the US aircraft to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a crash in international airspace.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
The PRC has consistently asked the US to back off from meddling in China's internal affairs. Whether it be through the State Dept., CIA, or armed forces, the US has long sought to secretly undermine China instead of cooperating in the open as a friendly partner. The US can't fathom a world in which it can't bully each nation into doing its bidding. The allegations of this incident ignore this fundamental root cause.
Anti-China narrative
As China rapidly strengthens its military capabilities — and subsequent aggressive posture — the US can and must use both unilateral and multilateral diplomatic and military strategies to confront a looming threat. Preemptive but cautious moves are necessary to show China a united Western front willing to defend regions like Taiwan if need be. PRC aggression caused unsafe conditions in international skies.