China is exhibiting “unbelievable aggression” towards Western nations and the U.S. in particular, according to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH).
Speaking Sunday on ABC’s “Face the Nation,” Turner’s observation followed an incident last week when a Chinese fighter jet flew directly across the flight path of an American reconnaissance plane. This near miss occurred over the South China Sea.
Another provocation came just Saturday when a Chinese warship closed to within 150 yards of a U.S. Navy destroyer.
Turner told the Sunday audience that the big picture clearly shows the stance taken by Chinese communists. He cited incidents such as the spy balloon that flew across the U.S., the Chinese police stations, and aggressiveness against U.S. planes and ships.
If you look at the spy balloon that flew over the United States, there is no doubt that we are seeing unbelievable aggression from China.
Today, I told @MarthaRaddatz on @ThisWeekABC that America needs to stand strong against China & Russia’s efforts to advance authoritarianism. pic.twitter.com/Sieffp2kue
— US Rep. Mike Turner (@RepMikeTurner) June 4, 2023
The Republican observed that “it goes right to the heart of what President Xi said when he stood next to Putin in Russia, where he said, they’re trying to make a change that had not happened in 100 years.”
That change Xi referred to was the shifting of world dominance to the U.S. in the aftermath of WWI and especially WWII.
Turner added that the historical reference concerned the battle of “democracy vs. authoritarianism.” He accused Beijing of posturing through its military confrontations with the goal of pushing authoritarianism into the dominant position.
The representative’s observations were backed up by the Defense Department, which reported the close contact with a Chinese fighter jet on Tuesday. The Pentagon released a video of the encounter which showed the Chinese J-16 flying directly in front of the nose of the U.S. RC-135.
The American aircraft was forced to fly through the turbulence created by the jet’s wake.
The following day, Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the Chinese pilot of taking a “dangerous action.” He noted that there have been a series of these types of incidents involving not only U.S. aircraft but those of other nations as well.
Turner was asked Sunday how the U.S. should respond to the intensified confrontations with China’s military. He said the proper response is “calling them out.” He asserted that the Biden administration should treat Beijing as the adversary they are clearly showing themselves to be.
