Washington Denounces “Dangerous” Encounter Between U.S., Chinese Warplanes
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government said Friday that a Chinese jet fighter carried out dangerous maneuvers near an American Navy aircraft when both planes were flying in international airspace over the South China Sea.
The encounter took place Tuesday as a Navy P-8 Poseidon was flying a routine patrol mission about 135 miles (217 kilometers) east of China’s Hainan Island, the Defense Department spokesman, Rear Adm. John Kirby, told reporters.
The Chinese plane approached the Poseidon three times and the wingtips of the two aircraft were only 20 feet (6 meters) apart at one point, the admiral said.
“The Chinese jet also passed the nose of the P-8 at 90 degrees with its belly toward the P-8 Poseidon, we believe to make a point of showing its weapons load,” Kirby said.
“We have registered our strong concerns to the Chinese about the unsafe and unprofessional intercept, which posed a risk to the safety and the well-being of the air crew, and was inconsistent with customary international law,” the Pentagon spokesman said.
The intercept represents “a deeply concerning provocation,” Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, said Friday during a briefing in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, where President Barack Obama is spending his vacation.
“What we’ve encouraged is constructive military-to-military ties with China, and this kind of action clearly violates the spirit of that engagement,” Rhodes said.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government said Friday that a Chinese jet fighter carried out dangerous maneuvers near an American Navy aircraft when both planes were flying in international airspace over the South China Sea.The encounter took place Tuesday as a Navy P-8 Poseidon was flying a routine patrol mission about 135 miles (217 kilometers) east of China’s Hainan Island, the Defense Department spokesman, Rear Adm. John Kirby, told reporters.
The Chinese plane approached the Poseidon three times and the wingtips of the two aircraft were only 20 feet (6 meters) apart at one point, the admiral said.
“The Chinese jet also passed the nose of the P-8 at 90 degrees with its belly toward the P-8 Poseidon, we believe to make a point of showing its weapons load,” Kirby said.
“We have registered our strong concerns to the Chinese about the unsafe and unprofessional intercept, which posed a risk to the safety and the well-being of the air crew, and was inconsistent with customary international law,” the Pentagon spokesman said.
The intercept represents “a deeply concerning provocation,” Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, said Friday during a briefing in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, where President Barack Obama is spending his vacation.
“What we’ve encouraged is constructive military-to-military ties with China, and this kind of action clearly violates the spirit of that engagement,” Rhodes said.
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