美控中國戰機「挑釁」中批美機違法偵察○自由 (2014.08.24)

美控中國戰機「挑釁」中批美機違法偵察○自由 (2014.08.24) http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/807228

〔編譯周虹汶／綜合報導〕美國政府廿二日指控中國，

〔編譯周虹汶／綜合報導〕美國政府廿二日指控中國，稱其戰鬥機於本月十九日在海南島附近的國際領空，對美國海軍偵察機進行「危險攔截」動作，並展示其武器配備，雙方距離一度曾僅隔九公尺。美國政府認為此一作法是「挑釁」，已對中國此一「不專業」且「不安全」的行為提出正式外交抗議。

對美國的抗議，中國國防部發言人楊宇軍表示，當時美軍出動一架P-3和一架P-8反潛機進行近距離偵察，中國海軍隨即派出一架殲十一戰機，進行例行識別查證。他表示，中方飛行員的相關操作是專業的，並與美機保持安全距離，美方對中方的指責完全站不住腳。中方敦促美方切實遵守國際法和國際慣例，減少對華近距離偵察，直至停止。

美國官員指出，這是美國近幾個月來針對中國軍事行動所發出的第二次正式抗議。中國今年三、四、五月亦曾在相同區域對美軍進行類似的侵略性「近距離攔截」；匿名官員透露，中方戰機應是來自海南島的同一部隊，美國曾於五月發出一次正式抗議。

美國五角大廈新聞秘書柯比指出，十九日事發地點位於中國海南島東方二一五公里，接近中國重要潛艦基地。事發時，中國戰鬥機多次飛越美軍P-8海上反潛巡邏機、忽上忽下，雙方機翼一度僅距九公尺，之後中機進行桶狀翻滾飛越至P-8上方，另外還以機腹正對P-8機鼻的方式，以九十度角展現機上搭載的飛彈，這種危險攔截行動不專業且不安全，更不符合習慣國際法。柯比表示，中國行徑不符美國亟欲與中國發展的軍事關係，且使常處緊張狀態的中美關係更加複雜化。

美國白宮副國家安全顧問羅茲直指中國的行為是「令人深感憂慮的挑釁」。羅茲表示，美國一直希望與中國產生「建設性的軍事連結」，而中國此次行為「已明確違反交往精神」，已直接向中國表示關切。

DoD Registers Concern to China for Dangerous Intercept

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=122997

By Amaani Lyle
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2014 – The Defense Department has expressed its concern to Chinese diplomatic officials about an Aug. 19 incident in which an armed Chinese fighter jet conducted a dangerous intercept of a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters today.

A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon in flight. According to the Defense Department, a U.S. aircraft of the same type on a routine mission flying in the Pacific Ocean region was “buzzed” Aug. 19 by a Chinese fighter jet about 135 miles east of Hainan Island in international airspace. U.S. Navy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The aircraft was on a routine mission when the intercept took place over the Pacific Ocean about 135 miles east of Hainan Island in international airspace, Kirby said.

“We have registered our strong concerns to the Chinese about the unsafe and unprofessional intercept, which posed a risk to the safety and the well-being of the aircrew, and was inconsistent with customary international law,” he said.

Kirby also noted that DoD officials believe the Chinese jet made several passes and crossed under the aircraft with one pass having only 50-100 feet of separation.

“The Chinese jet … passed the nose of the P-8 at 90 degrees with its belly toward the P-8 Poseidon, we believe to make a point of showing its weapons load out,” Kirby said. “They flew directly under and alongside the P-8, bringing their wingtips … to within 20 feet and then conducted a roll over the P-8, passing within 45 feet.”

The admiral asserted that the incident undermines efforts to continue developing military-to-military relations with the Chinese military.

“This kind of behavior, not only is unprofessional, it's unsafe,” Kirby said, “and it is certainly not keeping with the kind of military-to-military … relations that we'd like to have with China.”

On April 1, 2001, a Chinese fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance aircraft -- the P-8 Poseidon’s predecessor aircraft -- that was flying a routine mission in international airspace over the South China Sea. Wang Wei, the Chinese pilot whose fighter jet collided with the EP-3, was killed. The damaged EP-3 made an emergency landing on China's Hainan Island, where its crew was held by Chinese authorities and eventually released.

(Follow Amaani Lyle on Twitter @LyleDoDNews)