China has accused Canada of carrying out “malicious and provocative” actions in the South China Sea, after the Canadian Navy said Chinese fighter jets endangered a helicopter in two close intercepts above international waters.

The comments come after CNN revealed last week that a Chinese warplane fired flares in front of a Canadian military helicopter on October 29, an operation that Canadian military officers said was reckless and could have resulted in the downing of the aircraft.

The incident was the second of two “unsafe” encounters the Canadian chopper had on that day with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy J-11 fighters, which got as close as 100 feet (30 meters) from the helicopter, Maj. Rob Millen, air officer aboard the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa, told CNN in an interview on the warship.

  • spacecowboy@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    China has been fucking around for a while now. One of these times they’re going to step over that line and start something they wish they hadn’t.

  • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    They’re playing a very dangerous game. And they know it too, with how they’re projecting in their statements.

    They’re trying to claim international waters as their own. Flagrantly. If they’re going to ignore internationally agreed upon borders, they shouldn’t be surprised when everyone laughs at their claims of sovereignty.

    • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Bro they’re just defending their sovereignty bro. It’s totally their waters even though it’s international waters, and did you see how dangerous those fishermen vessels were to their national security??? /s

      They were seen favorably by the Western Left, but then they started to pull shit like this. They have somehow managed to align both Democrats and Republicans against them, which is fucking impressive. They continue to recklessly fuck around, and I don’t think their economy is in a state to find out.

      • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        That’s one of the dumbest arguments I’ve ever heard. It’s international waters.

        Does the Gulf of Mexico belong solely to Mexico? Does the Black Sea belong to black people?

        • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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          By your logic , then we can’t complain when China does ‘malicious, provocative’ moves near our aircraft. It’s international waters. But we all know liberal logic doesn’t work that way. It’s okay when we do it, but not when they do.

          • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 year ago

            Dude, their behavior is dangerous and puts lives at risk.

            Also, I love how tankies like you jump to call anyone they don’t like a liberal. You use that word however you want to describe anyone you don’t like. I don’t even identify with it.

            • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Your comments say otherwise.

              Dude, their behavior is dangerous and puts lives at risk.

              You do realize this blames Canada. Right? Right?

          • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Have you read what happened? There’s only one party here doing malicious, provocative moves. It’s the same one that’s charging naval ships at Filipino fishermen and building structures in international waters in the South China Sea.

            There’s a very long list of times China has done something like this. They’re fucking around, and if they accidentally do crash into another naval ship or plane, they’re going to find out. If that warplane’s flares downed the helicopter, it would be an international incident. I would be hard pressed to blame Canada if they declared war.

            Think of it this way. Is it wrong for Iran to be hostile to the US after the US shot down one of their civilian jets? If Israel shot down a helicopter with journalists, would there be any question they fucked up?

          • RIPandTERROR@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 year ago

            Honestly, I’m too busy and lazy to engage with your silly bullshit, so I had ChatGPT do it for me. Please enjoy.

            Oh, what a curious spectacle it is, the never-ending dance of the devil’s advocate on the quaint forums of Lemmy! A veritable Socrates in their own mind, the gallant defender of an entire country—yes, country, not just any old thing! But, oh dear reader, I must ask, are they truly the embodiment of patriotic fervor, or is it merely a performance art akin to a mime trapped in an invisible box of their own making?

            Let us ponder, just asking questions here, but could it be that this country, so passionately defended, is actually a utopia unknown to us mere mortals? A land of milk and honey, or perhaps, given the penchant for hyperbole, rivers of chocolate and mountains of marshmallows? One must inquire, for the sake of inquiry, does the sun shine brighter there, are the breezes always cool and the politicians always honest? Do the birds sing anthems, and do the trees sway in time to a national waltz?

            Let’s speculate—purely for the sake of speculation, you understand—could our indefatigable commenter be the last bastion of truth in a digital sea of skepticism? Do they don capes and tights beneath their user avatar, soaring across threads to rescue facts from the jaws of naysayers with the mere power of their unshakeable conviction? Oh, what a sight that would be!

            And what of the arguments presented, shimmering in their resolute simplicity like a tinfoil hat under the midday sun? Is there, hidden within their dogged replies, an elixir of clarity so potent that it could cleanse the palates of even the most jaded keyboard warriors? Does their keyboard emit a special kind of light, a beacon of unwavering loyalty that guides lost internet souls to safe harbor in their favored nation’s embrace?

            Now, I ask you—yes, you, the curious onlooker to this digital Don Quixote—have you ever considered that our hero may be onto something? Could their steadfast defense be a lesson in disguise, a masterclass in the art of online jousting? Each post, a gentle nudge toward enlightenment; each thread, a breadcrumb trail leading us to the ultimate truth—that this country, their country, stands as a beacon of perfection in our tumultuous world?

            Ah, but let us not stray too far without questioning the very nature of our Lemmy platform! Is it possible that this bastion of discussion has transcended its electronic boundaries to become a metaphysical round table, where digital knights gather, not for battle, but for a relentless tickling of the intellect?

            Truly, one must admire the resilience! For each time they are met with opposition, do they not rise like a phoenix from the ashes of downvotes, each new comment a testament to their unyielding spirit? Is their dedication not akin to that of an old sea captain, steadfastly navigating through the stormy waves of counterarguments, their compass ever pointing towards the true north of their conviction?

            In conclusion, dear reader, as we stand in awe of this tireless champion, can we not help but ask ourselves: are we all not just defenders of our own personal countries, be they of the mind, heart, or pixel? And to our zealous commenter, I say: carry on, you brave keyboard warrior, carry on! For in this vast cyberspace, your unwavering defense does not go unnoticed; it pirouettes through the data streams, a ballet of belief, a symphony of singular loyalty. What a world, what a world!

  • Siegfried@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Can we change the name of the SCS already? What could trigger the Chinese government the most?

    Tianamen sea? Mongolia was here sea? Taiwan (no sea, just Taiwan)?

  • Wahots@pawb.social
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    1 year ago

    What’s up with Russia and china’s shitty pilots? One of these days, one of those morons is going to stall their fighter or miscalculate and crash into the sea, and the international vessel they’re harassing is going to have to pick them up. Fucking idiots.

    • R0cket_M00se@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      They want provocation from the west, if they do dangerous shit that might endanger Canadian/US/whoever vessels then we might be forced to retaliate in order to prevent an accident that could put sailors/marines at risk.

  • teft@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    All these little maneuvers remind me of the classic bully who pulls his punch at the last second trying to get you to flinch.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The incident was the second of two “unsafe” encounters the Canadian chopper had on that day with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy J-11 fighters, which got as close as 100 feet (30 meters) from the helicopter, Maj.

    Rob Millen, air officer aboard the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa, told CNN in an interview on the warship.

    Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair briefed reporters on the incidents later Friday, saying the Chinese jets’ actions were deemed to be “significantly unsafe” and put “the safety of all personnel involved in unnecessary risk.”

    “China’s People’s Liberation Army organized naval and air forces to conduct identification, verification in accordance with the law and issued multiple warnings.

    Since 2014 Beijing has built up tiny reefs and sandbars into artificial islands heavily fortified with missiles, runways and weapons systems – sparking outcry from the other claimants.

    That incident was recorded by news crews aboard the Canadian aircraft and witnessed by Maj. Gen. Iain Huddleston, the commander of Canada’s 1st Air Division, who was also on the plane.


    The original article contains 744 words, the summary contains 173 words. Saved 77%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • stella@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I think I’m old enough to realize none of this matters.

        • DarkMessiah@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Classic America-centric tomfoolery.

          I’m Australian, mate. If anyone were able to tell you something shifty’s going on with China, it would be us. We’re kinda the English-speaking experts on the topic.

            • DarkMessiah@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              You’re trying real hard to move this away from China, mate. They paying you or are you just going against the grain because it’s the ‘rock-n-roll’ thing to do? Or is it because you wanna try to keep people from pissing them off?

              Just saying, it’s a weird thing to do when their pilots are clearly the ones who went aggro in the first place.

              • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                My problem is with American and Western media beating the drums for war with China. Article after article complaining about China. I don’t want a war with China. And I refuse to be convinced that it’s a good idea.

                • DarkMessiah@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  Nah, yeah, you’re right - war with China would be a very bad thing for everyone involved, but there need to be consequences for being an absolute dick to everyone, and China has a long history of provocation and other assorted dickery, even discounting this incident.

                • nova_ad_vitum
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                  1 year ago

                  My problem is with American and Western media beating the drums for war with China.

                  Then you’re a fool, because that will never happen and no serious person thinks it will. You’re afraid of nothing.

        • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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          1 year ago

          As an American I’m amused you think we are afraid of China. I wish we got along better with them but the idea that were at home hiding under our beds worried about China’s military is silly. We’ve both got enough nukes to end each other and China lacks the ability to project its conventional military power much farther than its bogus, ever shifting, and illegal borders.

          If China doesn’t want the smoke then it needs to quit behaving like a belligerent dingus in the South China Sea.

          • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            It would be one thing if they were just antagonizing the West. But they’re driving out fishermen from neighboring countries as well. When many countries are in debt to you, and you’re openly hostile to all of them, that debt goes from an asset to a liability. Especially when you’re begging for international incidents.

          • TwinTusks@outpost.zeuslink.net
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            1 year ago

            I do not think fear comes into the argument, if it does, it would be the Chinese, US has China surrounded with bases. China does not have a single base any where near US.

              • TwinTusks@outpost.zeuslink.net
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                1 year ago

                Maps of US bases are freely available online.

                Great map, however it doesn’t show any of the areas near China whereas the article clearly indicates that US has base on Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand.

                • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  And? That’s the business of each individual country. China isn’t surrounded by US bases, it’s surrounded by countries who want/agreed to host US bases. And much like Putin “being surrounded” by NATO, China only has itself to blame, for two big reasons:

                  1. The South Korean presence, and to a degree Japanese, is because of the batshit insane North Korean government, which constantly makes threats of violence and destruction. And, which is bankrolled by China.

                  2. China claimed international waters and drove out fishermen and vessels from neighboring countries. So who did they turn to?

                  If China respected international law and sovereignty, and stopped propping up NK, then they’d have a valid point.

                • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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                  1 year ago

                  Great map, however it doesn’t show any of the areas near China

                  The map clearly shows the countries that have US bases in them such as Japan and Guam.

                  whereas the article clearly indicates that US has base

                  What article?

                  …Vietnam, and Thailand.

                  There are no US Military Bases in Vietnam or Thailand.

    • AmosBurton_ThatGuy
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      1 year ago

      Man the worst part of lemmy is all the absolutely brain dead China apologists, you people are a cancer spreading bullshit propaganda. Fuck off loser.

      • Kedly@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        I’ve spent two weeks blocking all the tankie instances and users as they show up, and Lemmy is now starting to look a lot better. The nice thing about lemmy being smaller is that blocking out the brain dead takes is an actually achievable task

      • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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        I’m not apologizing for China, I’m just critical of American media. I remember the Cold War, I’m in no hurry to go through that again. Why can’t we be on friendly terms with China?