U.S. military conducts close-in reconnaissance operations against China in the South China Sea

The U.S. military has stepped up its close-in aerial reconnaissance operations against China in the South China Sea in recent years.

Leveraging forward bases, it conducts high-frequency, multi-aircraft, and systematic reconnaissance missions, with annual sorties exceeding 1,000. These activities are becoming more offensive and routine.

Monitoring data also shows that U.S. reconnaissance activities have increasingly approached China’s baseline of territorial sea‌, with the closest distance recorded at just 29 nautical miles. These actions have significantly heightened Sino-U.S. maritime and aerial frictions and raised the risks of unintended incidents.

Experts argue that such activities exceed reasonable intelligence collection, violate the spirit of international law and the UN Charter, and pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability.