Pacific Fleet commander signals intent by joining flight over South China Sea

MANILA — The new commander of the United States Pacific Fleet took part in a seven-hour “surveillance mission” over the disputed South China Sea over the weekend, a move that could spark another diplomatic row with China.

The fleet said via Facebook yesterday that Admiral Scott Swift, who arrived in the Philippines on Thursday for a four-day visit, was aboard the P-8A Poseidon aircraft on Saturday “to witness firsthand the full range of the Poseidon’s capabilities”.

It posted a photo of Adm Swift, who assumed command of the Hawaii-headquartered fleet in May, looking out the window of the airborne P-8A, and another of him listening attentively as personnel demonstrated the aircraft’s capabilities to him.

US Navy surveillance planes routinely conduct maritime patrols to monitor Chinese activities in the disputed South China Sea, with photos and data later provided to the Philippine military.

In May, a US Navy P-8A Poseidon was warned to turn away by the Chinese navy as it approached Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea, where China is building artificial islands.

US officials later said the reconnaissance flight was “entirely appropriate” and that US naval forces and military aircraft would “continue to fully exercise” the right to operate in international waters and airspace.

China in turn slammed the US for its action, calling it irresponsible and destabilising.

“Such action is likely to cause an accident, it is very irresponsible and dangerous and detrimental to regional peace and stability. We express our strong dissatisfaction, we urge the US to strictly abide by international law and international rules, and refrain from taking any risky and provocative actions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at the time.

The Global Times, a newspaper owned by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, at the time also called the US overflights “provocative” and called on China to ramp up its countermeasures.

Adm Swift told journalists in Manila on Friday that the US Navy, which has committed four coastal combat ships to the region to keep watch on the South China Sea and other areas, may deploy more in the future, since it plans to acquire 52 more such vessels for use worldwide. AGENCIES