U.S. State Department spokesperson

Force in Play

Issued the first explicit U.S. criticism of China’s radar behavior toward Japanese jets.

Chinese J-15 fighter jets flying from the aircraft carrier Liaoning repeatedly locked targeting radar onto Japanese F-15s near Okinawa on December 6, forcing Japan to scramble jets and lodge an emergency protest. Days later, Washington publicly accused Beijing of destabilizing behavior and vowed its commitment to Japan was “unwavering,” turning a dangerous cockpit decision into a trilateral showdown.

Updated Dec 11, 2025