In the latest case of Chinese contempt for the U.S., Beijing reportedly deployed fighter jets on a disputed island in the South China Sea on the eve of a Tuesday meeting with America’s top diplomat.
Citing “two U.S. officials” who spoke on condition of anonymity, Fox News reported that U.S. intelligence had spotted Chinese J-11 and JH-7s fighter jets on Woody Island.
China had deployed surface-to-air missiles on the same island last week, but placing modern attack aircraft is a significant upgrade and, according to Fox a “dramatic escalation” in the dispute over islands also claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines.
The Fox News report came Tuesday as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Washington for meetings with top U.S. officials. His scheduled visit to the Pentagon was canceled but a meeting with Secretary of State John F. Kerry was still a go for Tuesday afternoon.
Besides building military facilities on the tiny Spratly Islands, China also is building artificial “islands” to host advanced radar installations.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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