Aggressive Chinese Warship Gets Dangerously Close to US Destroyer, Risking Disaster
New video today shows just how close a Chinese warship came to a U.S. military destroyer in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday – roughly 150 yards – nearly causing a collision.
Just last week a Chinese fighter jet flew within 400 feet of an American spy plane over the South China Sea, causing the U.S. plane to bounce wildly in the Chinese fighter jet's wake. U.S. officials called the maneuver "unnecessarily aggressive," and part of a pattern by China.
Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told CBN's Faith Nation China's actions are ramping up tensions.
"This is the second very, very close intercept in the last six months of one of these types of aircraft," Montgomery said. "Really unprofessional actions by the Chinese. China fashions itself as a great power and then operates petulantly like this and it really creates a crisis."
The risky engagements come as the relationship between China and the U.S. has begun to fray, with disagreements over everything from trade to Taiwan to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
While visiting Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned the Chinese government to rein in its conduct, and offered them a choice.
"To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion," Austin said.
General Li Shangfu, China's Defense Minister, told the U.S. to "mind your own business" and called the American and Canadian military presence in the Taiwan Strait a "provocation."
The Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), told ABC the U.S. must "stand strong" against an increasingly aggressive China.
"This is unacceptable," Turner said. "What we're seeing is unbelievable aggression by China. If you look at the balloon that flew over the United States, the Chinese police stations, the aggressiveness against both our planes and ships in international water."
The White House is looking for a diplomatic fix to the worsening relations, sending a senior State Department official on a rare visit to Beijing.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) told Fox, "Biden administration officials should stop chasing after their Chinese communist counterparts like love struck teenagers. It's embarrassing and it's pathetic. In fact, it projects weakness to China."
Over the weekend National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden Administration will "responsibly manage" its relationship with China and "at some point" Joe Biden will meet again with China's President Xi.
