Malaysia says Chinese military planes came close to violating airspace

[Boats]

Malaysia says Chinese military planes came close to violating airspace
By: Reuters News - China - 06-01-21
Re: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...6-01/?rpc=401&

Malaysia's air force on Tuesday said 16 Chinese military transport planes had come close to violating Malaysian airspace, after they were detected conducting "suspicious" activity over the South China Sea.

The air force said they were forced to scramble jets on Monday to conduct visual confirmation after the planes flew to within 60 nautical miles off the coast of Sarawak state of Malaysian Borneo.

The Chinese planes did not contact the regional air traffic controller despite being instructed several times, the air force said.

"This incident is a serious threat to national sovereignty and flight safety due to the air traffic density over the airways," the air force said in a statement.

China's embassy in Kuala Lumpur did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China has been pushing an expansive claim over the waterway, through which about $3 trillion worth of ship-born trade passes annually.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have competing claims to various islands and features in the area and China's coastguard routinely warns foreign boats and aircraft to leave what it calls its territory.

Malaysia's air force said the planes, comprising Ilyushin il-76 and Xian Y-20 strategic transporters, had traveled in an "in-trail" tactical formation at altitudes of between 23,000 and 27,000 feet.

Last year, a Chinese survey ship held a month-long standoff with a Malaysian oil exploration vessel within Malaysia's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

The incident follows months of diplomatic protests by the Philippines over the presence of hundreds of Chinese fishing boats in its Exclusive Economic Zone, which it says are manned by militia. China has largely ignored the complaints.

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Personal note: China will intimidate and press the issues currently being displayed - trying to see how far they can go before actually making the move to circumvent Malaysia's air space and fishing limits. They don't feel threatened by Malaysia but they will intimidate countries to meet their ends games. It's like an invisible chalk line on the countries boundaries and how far can they cross it before being escorted out or fired upon.
Russia does this as well North Korea & China - they are always extending their reach so as to see what repercussion's that nation will do - or not do?
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These issues are also going on in the Artic with Russia's movements and them building bases on or where these territories are normally not permitted. Old word: Land Grabber's -
once occupied they assume it now belongs to them. This has been going on for quite some time and no doubt continue - until NATO or some other Nation Steps up and is willing to take them for infringing on that territory.
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Boats