Beijing has responded to the US Navy’s ramped-up presence in the South China Sea – an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson has been scheduled to call at Vietnamese ports next month – with squadrons of advanced fighters including Su-35s and J-20s that will soon start patrolling the 3.5-million-square-kilometer sea.
Further incidents involving US and Chinese forces appear inevitable after the China News Service revealed that the US guided-missile destroyer Hopper came within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island) last month, and was intercepted by the Chinese missile destroyer Huangshan. CNS said the US warship steered away from the area after a brief standoff.
Similar encounters in the air are set to become frequent as well, as the People’s Liberation Army has dispatched an unconfirmed number of Su-35 multirole fighters to the sea for joint combat cruise missions.
This is “a pragmatic action for the air force to fulfill its mission in the new era and conduct combat training exercises” above the South China Sea, said a statement by the PLA Air Force on its Weibo social media account.
It is also rumored that several J-20s already in service with the PLAAF will fly south to join Russian-made counterparts to test the 4.5th generation fighter’s operational reliability.
The deployment showed that pilot training for new jets was surprisingly fast, said a Chinese military commentator.
“We just received a group of jets from Russia and inaugurated the J-20 last year, and now we can put them into a real combat mission in the South China Sea,” Xu Guangyu, senior adviser to the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, was quoted as saying by the Global Times.
China reportedly bought 24 Su-35 fighter jets for US$2 billion from Russia in 2015, and Russia completed delivery of the planes by the end of last year.
“The appearance of advanced PLA fighter jets capable of attacking surface combat vessels in this region is sort of a reaction to the provocation by the US,” Xu said.
These aircraft can easily be stationed or serviced on several airstrips and bases created via dredging sand and shoals in the vast sea, after Beijing’s frenzied island-building has created a host of “unsinkable aircraft carriers” in the sea.
Yet some observers have suggested that J-20s are not likely to have a very formidable presence above the South China Sea. Besides the current production bottlenecks, the high temperatures, humidity and brine corrosion there will render the J-20’s stealth coating ineffective after prolonged exposure to such an environment.
They argue that the J-20 is not designed for sea patrols but for air superiority above land held by an enemy.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. China have not had any actual combat experience against a superior foe. And if there will be actual shooting engagement I doubt if its fighter planes can even take off the ground.
Nothing to worry about unless you support saving face for PRC. Their are only 2 fully functioning J–20’s seen so far and they have ben moved out of sight to Gansu Province. Last September air show in Beijing showed they are not all stealth, are too loud and have under–performing engines. In essence, the 30 percent of the plans the PRC scientist stole from working in US did not equate to what they wanted other than aerial satellite show to impress their own people. As for the SU–35’s from Russia, there are only 24, because China to date has not been able to qualify enough pilots that can fly competently to international standards. Several jets crash every year near urban areas as spotted by expats living in China but it is never reported. One day the dictatorship in China will grow up and understand that when you come out to play you do not get to hog all the food at the buffet. International waters are just that, international, just as all ships can sail through the Carribbean, Mediterranean, and everywhere else in the world. Forged maps written on Hainan Island 10 years ago do not change that. As for the US Missle Cruiser off Scarborough Shoal being "chased off." There was no stand off. It completed its course with no deviation without stopping. No PRC vessel was even near enough to impede its way. I recommend broadening your sources.
Ralph Jason Regudo you forgot! Roman rule was once extended to G. Britain and Spain. Can Italy claim rights on U. K. ?
Mga ulol kyong mga. Chino tmaan kyo ng tsunami pra yang gnwa nyng artfcial island kainin ng dagat. Mga mananakop,,,,,,,,,,,,
Wood Wu That iis your opnion. China, being a member of UN, must respect the ruling. What about if the ruling favored China and Philippines won’t aggree? Will your opinion remain the same? Hahaha! STOP being a bully!
China is a greedy nation. She is a bully not only in Asia but the whole world.
What are we power for? Thats what china using for today because they are powerful,they get what they want? They must be stopped their bullying to the weaker neighbors
In the issue of west philippine sea, filipino can’t fight china, but we can adopt chinese teaching "if you want peace, prepare for war"
Soon the chinese will invade rivers lake lagoon and hey be watchful they are may be at your backyard looking at your swimming pool
Using the same warped logic, China now belongs to Mongol or Japanese, remember rape of Nanjing and Manchuria? Stoopid commies
They can make claim as far as they want, but just measure how far China is. He can even Europe if he likes. During the pass ,he is coward to do it.Thinking he is superior now.
Perry Kamath
It’s like saying Japan should just let go of Kurils and Dokdo. You do know that Taiwan also has the same claim on SCS as PRC, right?
Hoy Hoy Sum
China was not defeated. Read history properly. Japanese bleeds because of the resistance.
It is not how China treat US but how US likes to use Aircraft Carrier to threathen others. You like to be hit by big stick? Look at Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Ukraine. So what say you on this?
Of course, China has trust issue. But you think others don’t have? Japanese metal fraud? Volkswagen emissions scandal? US Navy Fat Lenaord Scandal? Think again.
Squatters on the West Philippine China scrambled their fighter planes what a helarious scene, you are defending a territory that you is not yours. you are squatters on the West Philippine Sea for heaven’s sake.
Ralph Jason Regudo well, that is big problem my friend.because USA does not claim a teriitory she just take it. There are not Interntional rules for her. She has her own.
The US should also claim the Pacific ocean as part of its territory. Italy should also claim the Mediteranean sea as its territory. ????
Chinese scholars claim that SCS belonged to Chinese rulers atleast since Ming dynasty (1368-1644). They supposedly lost control during the Quings because of inefficient rule and interference by overseas European barbarians. So why not respect that legitimate claims?
It’s time to enforce the UNCLOS ruling and pass several symbolic sanctions in the UN. ASEAN security meetings can also be the alternative venue to tell China that stealing is not acceptable, what more militarization. This needs to be done, before someone gets killed.
well, what about to start with USA signing the treaty with the UNCLOS first as I see you are promoting everyone else to follow procedures. By the way Canada needs to do that, too. Then, you we can start talking about it. Otherwise it would be like barking on the wrong tree, isn´t?. By the way, we can discuss some topics about this isssue, like how many countries are claiming also on that area, which of those countries have appropriated territory the most? who lives there and who doesn´t and the list goes on.
It is about time to avoid war by using a new strategy: challenging China with mileage of territorial waters. The UN should debate how wide is the universal territorial waters. At present the UNCLOS gives 12 nautical miles to each and every maritime country but China claims more than that, about 1000 miles in the SCS.