Part 9/21:
During the patrol, Chinese fighters approached the Canadian plane on several occasions. In one instance, a supersonic jet approached so closely that it hailed the pilot over radio channels, with the Canadian captain calmly responding, “I’m a Canadian aircraft operating in international airspace carrying out the duties of all nations.” Hours later, another armed Chinese jet shadowed the aircraft for nearly thirty minutes before withdrawing. After nearly nine hours in the sky, the Canadian plane returned safely to Kadina Air Base in Japan, a strategic US military hub.