On Monday, October 16th, a Canadian maritime patrol aircraft reportedly experienced a close encounter with Chinese fighter jets in international waters. The incident, described by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair as “dangerous and reckless”, has brought renewed attention to the growing tensions in the region.
According to a report from French media on October 17th, crew members from the Global News television aboard the Canadian aircraft stated that Chinese aircraft shadowed the Canadian Aurora patrol plane for several hours, with one Chinese jet coming within less than five meters at one point.
Speaking in Ottawa, Blair labeled the actions of the Chinese Air Force as “unprofessional” and conveyed his concerns to Beijing.
Canada has recently increased its dispatch of CP-140 anti-submarine patrol planes to the Kadena Base in Okinawa, Ryukyu. While Canada asserts that these flights are in line with UN missions on the Korean Peninsula, their frequent appearances in China’s East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone have garnered attention. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has so far carried out over 60 intercepts of these aircraft, with 20 described by Canada as “highly dangerous.”
It’s worth noting that the Canadian CP-140 is an iteration of the US P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft, echoing memories of the 2001 incident where a US EP-3E reconnaissance plane collided with a Chinese Navy J-8D fighter in the South China Sea, leading to the tragic loss of Chinese pilot Wang Wei.
The Canadian crew stated that most of the actions by the opposing side were compliant. However, one of the aircraft flew at a close distance in front of and behind the Canadian military aircraft and fired decoy flares several times from its side and front. When the J-10S came closest to the CP-140, the distance was about 5 meters, or even 3 meters. Notably, when journalists asked if this was a provocative interception, the Canadian crew believed that since the Chinese fighter jet did not rock its wings, it was controlled and considered it a level-three situation.
Canadian military aircraft have frequently been operating near China’s airspace. Canada’s explanation is that the Canadian Air Force needs to participate in the “Neon” operation near North Korean waters to monitor the implementation of the United Nations’ sanctions on North Korea.
Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, recently responded to questions about the encounter between Canadian and Chinese military aircraft. He stated that recently, Canadian military aircraft, using the execution of the United Nations Security Council resolutions as a reason, have increased their close reconnaissance and provocations against China, endangering China’s national security and jeopardizing the safety of frontline personnel from both sides. China has expressed its concerns about this. In response to the provocative actions and unprofessional operations by Canada, the Chinese military took measured, safe, and professional actions and formally addressed its concerns to Canada through diplomatic channels.
China urges Canada to understand the gravity of the situation, strictly manage its frontline troops, and refrain from any risky and provocative actions. Otherwise, Canada will be responsible for any consequences that arise.
