Chinese fighter jets intercept U.S. spy plane in latest close encounter between two militaries
The Pentagon said Monday, two Chinese J-10 fighter jets had intercepted a U.S. Navy surveillance plane in an “unsafe” and “unprofessional” behavior in an international airspace over the East China Sea.
The US EP-3 plane was traveling over the East China Sea when it was blocked by the Chinese fighter aircraft.
It was the first incident of its kind since May 24, when two Chinese J-10s intercepted a U.S. surveillance plane in international airspace over the disputed sea.
One of the officials spoke that the Chinese jet was armed, and the interception occurred 80 nautical miles (148 km) from the Chinese city of Qingdao.
The Pentagon said the happenings between the aircraft was risky, but added that the large majority of communications were safe.
The incident remains the awkward relationship between the US and China within a period of high tension in East Asia.
The Chinese counterpart of Admiral John Richardson was called to address putting pressure on North Korea to control its nuclear weapons development.
That comes amid continuing rivalry between the US and Chinese ships in the South China Sea, which the Asian country has also laid part too.
Beijing has accused the close encounters on U.S. planes and ships that it says frequently conduct surveillance “near Chinese territory.”
The United States meanwhile has remained the Obama-era policy of transmitting ships through the argued area, including within 12 miles of the islands, in water that would be considered Chinese if the islands were internationally accepted.
