**Breaking News: Chinese Fighter Jet’s Reckless Pass Nears US Navy Destroyer in Taiwan Strait**
In a dramatic escalation of tensions, a Chinese J16 fighter jet dangerously buzzed the USS William P. Lawrence, a US Navy destroyer, during a freedom of navigation operation in the Taiwan Strait on April 24, 2025. The incident, which unfolded in one of the world’s most politically sensitive maritime zones, has raised alarms over the razor-thin margin for error in military encounters between the US and China.
As the William P. Lawrence navigated the strait, asserting international rights in contested waters, the Chinese military was already on high alert. Surveillance aircraft were scrambled, and a warship shadowed the American destroyer. The situation escalated when a Chinese warship radioed, demanding the destroyer turn back from “Chinese territorial waters.” The crew aboard the Lawrence remained unfazed, having faced similar provocations before. But this time, the stakes were higher.
In a calculated act of intimidation, the J16 fighter jet streaked in at nearly 250 feet above sea level, performing a high-speed pass within just 150 feet of the destroyer’s bow. The crew’s combat information center lit up with alerts as the aircraft entered a weapons engagement zone, putting the destroyer on heightened alert. Although the J16’s actions were reckless and aggressive, the destroyer’s crew adhered to strict rules of engagement, refraining from firing.
The flyby was not just a show of force; it was a stark reminder of the precarious balance in the Taiwan Strait, where a single miscalculation could spark a crisis. For 90 tense minutes, the J16 circled the destroyer, a constant reminder of the ever-present threat in these contested waters.
The US Indo-Pacific Command later condemned the incident as an “unsafe intercept,” while Chinese state media defended the action as necessary. As military analysts assess the implications, the US Navy remains resolute in its commitment to freedom of navigation, underscoring that the Taiwan Strait is open to all who abide by international law. The world watches closely as the line between assertion and aggression continues to blur, heightening the risks in this volatile region.