Time to clear the air: close encounter between Chinese and US aircraft shows need for code of conduct
An "unsafe manoeuvre" made by a Chinese aircraft while intercepting an American spy plane last week highlighted the urgent need for the two countries to sign a code of conduct for unexpected aerial encounters, military experts said.
The announcement came as President Xi Jinping began his week-long state visit to the United States.
READ MORE: Xi's state visit to the US
"The pilot reported that he felt ... the [Chinese] aircraft passed in front of his nose in an unsafe fashion," Cook said, adding that there were two JH-7s shadowing the River Joint. "There's no indication this was a near-collision."
The US Department of Defence was reviewing the incident, Cook said.
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said it was "legitimate" for China to intercept the US plane, because it had entered China's exclusive economic zone near the Shandong peninsula, a strategic area for the People's Liberation Army's naval forces.
"What the US [plane did] could be seen as a provocative move," Li said.