The People’s Liberation Army has disclosed that helicopter encounters with a foreign navy took place repeatedly over the East China Sea in which the two aircraft came as close as 10 metres from each other. The “provocations by foreign force” transpired 11 times over a period of 10 consecutive days, state broadcaster CCTV said in a report on Wednesday. The report did not specify either the time or location of the encounters, nor did it reveal the identity of the “foreign force”. But it said the Chinese helicopter was flown by Wang Ling, a pilot from the Ground Force aviation corps of the Eastern Theatre Command that oversees the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait. “When I received the mission, I was ordered to take off combat-ready because some foreign force was approaching our coastline,” Wang was quoted as saying. As tensions in the region’s airspace and sea run high, the PLA’s air force planes and naval warships in recent years have frequently engaged in close encounters with foreign aircraft and vessels, some of which were reportedly “dangerously close”.
The disclosure by the People’s Liberation Army about repeated helicopter encounters with a foreign navy in the East China Sea has raised concerns about the escalating tensions in the region. The encounters, happening as close as 10 metres apart, occurred 11 times over a span of 10 consecutive days. The report from state broadcaster CCTV did not provide specific details on the time or location of the incidents, leaving many questions unanswered. The identity of the “foreign force” involved in the encounters was also not revealed. However, the report did mention that Wang Ling, a pilot from the Ground Force aviation corps of the Eastern Theatre Command, was the pilot of the Chinese helicopter involved in the encounters. Wang was quoted as saying that he was ordered to take off combat-ready due to the approaching foreign force. The frequent close encounters between the PLA’s air force planes and naval warships with foreign aircraft and vessels in the region have added to the existing tensions in the area.
The lack of transparency surrounding the recent helicopter encounters in the East China Sea has left many wondering about the motives behind the “provocations by foreign force”. With tensions already running high in the region’s airspace and sea, the repeated incidents have only added to the concerns about potential escalations. The report from CCTV highlighted the intensity of the encounters, with the two aircraft coming dangerously close to each other multiple times. The involvement of Wang Ling, a pilot from the Ground Force aviation corps of the Eastern Theatre Command, sheds light on the readiness of the Chinese military to respond to such incidents. However, the ambiguity surrounding the identity of the foreign force and the specifics of the encounters leaves room for speculation and uncertainty. As the PLA continues to engage in close encounters with foreign aircraft and vessels, the situation in the East China Sea remains tense and unpredictable.
