US, China fighter jets in brief standoff near South Korea

US and Chinese fighter jets briefly confronted each other over waters near the Korean Peninsula this week, marking an uncommon incident in the region. On Wednesday, around 10 US jets conducted drills above international waters off South Korea's western coast, prompting China to scramble its aircraft as they approached its air defense identification zone.

China's state-backed Global Times stated that the People’s Liberation Army monitored and responded to the situation in line with regulations. US Forces Korea, overseeing 28,500 troops in South Korea, did not comment, and South Korea’s Defense Ministry was unaware of the exercises.

This comes amid heightened Chinese military activity in the Indo-Pacific and rising tensions regarding Taiwan and Japan. Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un initiated a party congress to discuss enhancing his country’s nuclear capabilities.