China’s saber rattling a worry

Its clear military goal is to push the U.S. out of the Western Pacific, and it is getting bolder as its military power rapidly increases

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Editorials

June 5, 2023 - 3:20 PM

Chinese soldiers shout as they march in formation during a parade to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Tiananmen Square in 1949, on Oct. 1, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images/TNS)

The risk of conflict in the Western Pacific is growing as China raises the military stakes with a goal of dominating the region. The Biden Administration will have to keep its nerve, while preparing for a more aggressive response if the Chinese Communist Party keeps pushing.

Consider China’s actions in the past two weeks:

• On May 26 a Chinese fighter jet came within 400 yards of a U.S. reconnaissance plane flying in international air space above the South China Sea. The unprofessional intercept forced the U.S. plane to fly through the jet’s wake and was a clear attempt to intimidate.

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