Escalation: China Locks Radars on Japan, Sends Naval Taskforce Toward Australia
In a risky escalation, Chinese J-15 fighter jets locked their radars onto Japanese aircraft in at least two separate incidents. The Chinese planes were launched from the Liaoning aircraft carrier as it transited near Okinawa. These hostile actions — which dramatically increase the chances of a deadly encounter that triggers an open conflict — follow weeks of growing provocations by Beijing against Tokyo. In response, Japanese PM Takaichi Sanae said Japan would continue to respond “calmly and resolutely.” Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded his first visit to India since ordering a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and China has tested a new high-altitude drone. Just how dangerous are Beijing’s latest actions? How should Japan and the US counter these tactics? And what role might Russia, India and other regional powers play if a war were to break out in the Taiwan Strait? In this episode, we analyze the latest in China-Japan tensions, the Russia-India relationship, Chinese drone technology and what it all means for the Indo-Pacific region. *Recorded on December 8, 2025 at 5pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Producer: Julien Oeuillet Guests: Pradeep Chauhan - Indian Navy Vice Admiral (Ret.) Roger Liu - National Sun Yat-sen University IMAPA Assistant Professor
