Uncrewed Chinese Military Aircraft's Visible Flight Near Vietnam Signals New Tensions in South China Sea

An uncrewed Chinese military aircraft, the WZ-10, flew close to Vietnam's coast with its tracker switched on, marking the first visible operation of its kind according to a South China Sea research body. The flight happened amid escalating tensions between Vietnam and China over the South China Sea.

An uncrewed Chinese military WZ-10 aircraft conducted a visible surveillance flight near Vietnam's coast, as reported by a South China Sea research body. This is the first instance in five years of monitoring where such operations have been made visible, signaling heightened maritime activities by Beijing.

The aircraft took off from Hainan Island, flew approximately 100 km from Vietnam's coastline, and returned to Hainan. The path, according to publicly available tracking data, was shared by Van Pham, general manager of the South China Sea Chronicle Initiative. Reports suggest previous flights may have had their trackers switched off.

This development comes shortly after Hanoi announced joint coast guard exercises with the Philippines and submitted a claim to extend its continental shelf. Chinese vessels frequently navigate through Vietnam’s EEZ, often with transponders off, raising concerns among neighboring countries. This flight also coincided with a sensitive political period in Vietnam, further complicating their diplomatic relations with China.