US China sabre rattling in South China Sea continues unabated

News Snapshot:

USA Three recent military incidents in the South China Sea are indicators that China’s intentions to pursue coercive strategy has continued unabated. First, the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) startled the Malaysian Air Force (MAF) after 16 Chinese military aircraft including fighter jets were sighted in airspace above Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone (near disputed Luconia and James Shoals)in the South China Sea. These aircraft had flown in military formation and came close to 60 nautical miles of Sarawak beach. The intrusion was assessed as “threatening Malaysia’s sovereignty” and the MAF scrambled fighter jets. The incident impelled the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign...