In a concerning incident over the South China Sea, a Chinese fighter jet flew within 10 feet of a US Air Force B-52 bomber, putting both aircraft in danger of collision, according to the US military. The US Indo-Pacific Command criticized the Chinese pilot for flying in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner" and expressed concerns about the pilot's apparent unawareness of the potential collision.

News of this incident comes at a critical time as President Joe Biden is set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the White House. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, remains ambiguous in terms of format, whether it will be a formal discussion or a more informal meet-and-greet. Additionally, Wang is expected to hold separate meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The incident involving the Chinese fighter jet raises further concerns about the escalating frequency of "coercive and risky" behavior exhibited by Chinese pilots towards US aircraft in the East and South China Seas. Ely Ratner, the Pentagon's top official responsible for security in the Indo-Pacific, revealed that the US has witnessed over 180 such incidents since the fall of 2021, surpassing the total number recorded in the previous decade. These risky maneuvers seem to be part of a deliberate campaign aimed at pressuring the US into altering its operational activities.

Efforts by the Pentagon to establish communication channels with Chinese military leadership have remained unanswered, raising concerns about the lack of military-to-military dialogue between the two countries. China severed communications after Nancy Pelosi, then-House Speaker, visited Taiwan last year, triggering anger among Chinese leaders.

The US has identified China as the "pacing challenge" in its National Defense Strategy, acknowledging the country's growing military strength, economic power, and international influence. With a standing army of over a million soldiers, the largest navy by number of ships, and the largest air force in the region, China has been employing its military might to assert sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and other regions, including Taiwan.

This year, China has intensified its aggressive actions towards Taiwan, including ballistic missile overflights, military aircraft breaching Taiwan's aerial identification zone, and conducting major military exercises near the independent island territory. While Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his desire for "peaceful unification" with Taiwan, he has not ruled out the possibility of using military force to achieve this objective.

As tensions continue to rise between the US and China, observers will closely monitor future developments, including a potential meeting between President Biden and President Xi on the fringes of the upcoming APEC Summit in San Francisco, although no finalized plans have been confirmed by either side.