(Source: China Military Online) 2015-10-27
BEIJING, October 27 (ChinaMil) — To prevent a military escalation, China and the U.S. have agreed to be more civil when their military pilots meet in mid-air, the Christian Science Monitor of the U.S. reported on October 26, 2015.
According to the report, the amendment was signed shortly before a state visit last month to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The amendment calls for keeping a secure distance, communicating clearly and keeping a lid on rude body language between their military pilots. “Military aircrew should refrain from the use of uncivil language or unfriendly physical gestures,” says the amendment.
The report said the stipulation shows the degree to which the two sides hope to avoid unintended events, although there’s no evidence that insulting behavior has been a factor in any recent encounters.
Denny Roy, an expert on the Chinese military at the East-West Center in Hawaii, is quoted as saying “It (the signing of the amendment) is a positive step in bilateral relations because it indicates a Chinese interest in stability and in advancing military-to-military relations.”