US RC-135U Reconnaissance Aircraft Conducts Surveillance Flight Near China

US Reconnaissance Aircraft Detects Missile Launch Signal, Approaches Within 25 Nautical Miles of Chinese Coast
China Strongly Protests PLA Naval Reconnaissance During Live-Fire Exercises

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The United States' 'Combat Sent (RC-135U) reconnaissance aircraft' conducted a close reconnaissance flight up to 25.33 nautical miles (46.9 km) off the Chinese coast, prompting strong protests from China.

The Global Times reported on the 23rd that the Combat Sent reconnaissance aircraft belonging to the U.S. Air Force entered the South China Sea through the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan on the 22nd, approaching within 25.33 nautical miles of the Chinese coast to conduct reconnaissance on the People's Liberation Army.

This reconnaissance aircraft is equipped with high-performance advanced sensors and is known as a state-of-the-art reconnaissance aircraft capable of collecting missile launch signals such as from mobile launchers. It is also reported that the U.S. only possesses two of these aircraft.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Global Times stated that typically U.S. reconnaissance aircraft conduct operations at a distance of 50 to 70 nautical miles from the Chinese coast, and this is the first time it has approached as close as 25.33 nautical miles.

It particularly explained that the People's Liberation Army was conducting maritime live-fire exercises when the U.S. reconnaissance aircraft approached. The media criticized the U.S., saying that despite prior notifications of navigation restrictions in the South China Sea near Guangdong Province ahead of the live-fire exercises, the U.S. reconnaissance aircraft carried out dangerous reconnaissance activities.

Furthermore, after confirming the flight path of the reconnaissance aircraft, it emphasized that the U.S. deliberately conducted a dangerously close flight near the People's Liberation Army's maritime live-fire exercise location.

The media also reported that on the 21st, the U.S. Navy's P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and EP-3E reconnaissance aircraft conducted reconnaissance flights near the South China Sea.

The Global Times added that the intensity of U.S. reconnaissance against China is increasing again, and that the U.S. will further strengthen interference against China by rallying regional allies in the future.

Meanwhile, the Quad, a consultative body regarded as a China containment coalition consisting of four countries (the United States, Japan, India, and Australia), held its first summit on the 12th (local time), pledging cooperation to enhance security and respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific region targeting China.

Following this, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited South Korea and Japan simultaneously on the 18th and 19th, just before the high-level U.S.-China talks in Alaska, reaffirming the realization of the Indo-Pacific strategy to pressure China through diplomatic and defense minister (2+2) meetings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.