US officials: Chinese aggression in contested waterway could provoke ‘major incident’
An armed Chinese fighter jet flies near a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft over the South China Sea about 135 miles east of Hainan Island in international airspace. (U.S. Navy Photo)
JULY 27, 2022 RADIO FREE ASIA
This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea could lead to a “major incident,” U.S. government officials warned on Tuesday, while offering solutions for military and diplomatic deterrence during a forum at a Washington think-tank.
Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, said the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was the most consequential challenge for the region from a security perspective.
“We see Beijing combining its greater military power with a greater willingness to take risks,” Ratner told a policy conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“If the PLA continues this pattern of behavior, it is only a matter of time before there is a major incident or accident in the region,” Ratner said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2022/07/us-officials-chinese-aggression-in-contested-waterway-could-provoke-major-incident/
