Chinese Jet Fighter Catch The US Reconnaissance Aircraft In The South China Sea

News Portals: Saturday May, 27, 2017 - 04:49 pm The US Orion P-3 reconnaissance aircraft intercepted two Chinese fighter jets in the South China Sea. [Photo / WeLcOmE TO My SiTeS]

WWIII - A US officer said two Chinese fighter jets intercepted US Navy reconnaissance aircraft in the South China Sea on Wednesday. One of these fighter jets flew at a distance of 180 meters from the US reconnaissance aircraft.

The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that preliminary reports indicate that the US Orion P-3 reconnaissance aircraft was 150 miles southeast of Hong Kong in international airspace when Chinese fighter jets made a dangerous interception. One Chinese jet flew in front of a US plane, limiting its ability to maneuver.

The Pentagon confirmed that two Chinese jets had intercepted, saying it was "unsafe and unprofessional." "We continue to review the facts of this event and will express our concerns through channels that are in line with the Chinese government," Pentagon navy spokesman Gary Ross said in a statement quoted by Reuters on Saturday (5/27/2017).

Earlier a US Navy warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea. This is Beijing's first challenge on a strategic path since US President Donald Trump took office.

China is highly suspicious of US military activity around the coastline, especially in the resource-rich South China Sea. Parts of the sea that international trade routes are contested by China and its smaller neighbors, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Incidents such as Wednesday's interception are not uncommon. Earlier this month, two Chinese Su-30 planes intercept US planes designed to detect radiation as the aircraft flies in international airspace across the East China Sea.