Lasers have been shone at U.S. military aircraft flying near the East China Sea more than 20 times in the past few months, and at least some of the lasers appeared to come from Chinese fishing boats.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the harassment is becoming a growing concern as China continues to flex its muscles in the South China Sea by building and arming artificial islands.
U.S. officials would not confirm to the Journal the incidents were on behalf of the Chinese government, but they occurred amid rising tensions between the two countries. It was reported in May that military-grade lasers that appeared to come from a Chinese military base in Djibouti were shone at several U.S. military aircraft, which resulted in minor injuries to crews.
The incidents in the East China Sea, which is between China and Japan, involved the use of smaller lasers available on the consumer market. They appeared to come from boats, some of them Chinese fishing vessels, and on land.
The U.S. and China are in the midst of a trade war of sorts, with each country instituting tariffs on each other's products as President Donald Trump attempts to even the global playing field when it comes to trade.
China is also reportedly interested in building a military base in southern Pakistan near the Gulf of Oman, a strategic location because of the high number of oil tankers that travel through the area.
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