Two Chinese jets conduct ‘unsafe’ interception of US spy plane over East China Sea: Pentagon

Two Chinese fighter jets conducted what the United States said was an “unsafe” interception of an American spy plane over the East China Sea on Tuesday – the second close encounter within a month between the two air forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

The US Pacific Command spokesman Commander David Benham said two Chinese J-10 fighter jets had flown close to an American RC-135 reconnaissance plane, which was on a routine patrol.

“One of the intercepting Chinese jets had an unsafe excessive rate of closure on the RC-135 aircraft,” Benham said.

“Our initial assessment is that this seems to be a case of improper airmanship, as no other provocative or unsafe manoeuvres occurred,” he said.

In a written response to the South China Morning Post, the defence ministry said the US claims were “deliberately sensationalised”.

“Chinese pilots always stick to relevant laws and regulations in their operations. They are professional and responsible,” the ministry said.

The incident came as US ­Secretary of State John Kerry and his Chinese counterparts wrapped up the annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing.

The two-day dialogue saw the countries reaffirm their commitment to promoting military-to-military relations.

A statement issued after the talks highlighted understandings reached last year between the two militaries on air-to-air encounters and crisis communications.

However, just last month, the US military said Chinese J-11 jet fighters had flown within 15 metres of an EP-3 patrol aircraft over the South China Sea.

China said the jets had kept a suitable distance from the US plane.

“The [understanding] on air-to-air encounters in 2015 has effectively [prevented a greater number of] so-called unsafe interceptions or flying incidents, as defined by the US military, from occurring,” Beijing-based military expert Li Jie said.

“But why have all the unsafe encounters happened in airspace near China’s territory and not [American territory]?

“I think the US should also take a certain responsibility.”

China set up its first air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea in November 2013 to cover the Diaoyu Islands, know in Japan as the Senkakus.

Both China and Japan claim the uninhabited outcrops, but ­Tokyo controls them. The ADIZ triggered a backlash from Japan, South Korea and the US.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse