Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in theSouth China Sea, south China.
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The South China Sea has been the subject of contention between China and its Asian neighbors.
The unsafe interception of a United States EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft was carried out by two Chinese J-11 tactical aircraft, which the Pentagon said was on an worldwide airspace over South China Sea.
The Pentagon said that two Chinese fighter jets carried out an intercept of the USA aircraft Tuesday in an “unsafe” manner. “Their operation was completely in keeping with safety and professional standards”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told reporters at a regular briefing. “In accordance with laws and regulations, the two Chinese military aircraft followed and monitored the USA plane from a safe distance without taking any risky actions”.
The jets, he added, “continually kept a safe distance and did not take any unsafe actions”. The official reportedly told the news agency that the incident occurred near the Hainan island.
The interception comes a week after an American guided missile destroyer sailed near a reef in the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands chain, in the latest of USA “freedom of navigation” operations – moves Beijing had called “provocative”.
Tense encounters between USA and Chinese military air and sea vessels have become routine as China more aggressively asserts its sovereignty claims over parts of the sea.
Regional neighbours such as Vietnam and the Philippines have rival claims and the United States says China’s assertions have no basis in law.
In 2001, a collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a USA surveillance plane in the South China Sea killed the Chinese pilot and led to the American crew being detained on Hainan.
In recent years, China has increasingly asserted its territorial claims over most of the South China Sea – which encompasses an area of nearly one and a half million square miles, and extends from Taiwan to Vietnam.
Not only has it caught the attention of the Pentagon, it could also signal a shift in Chinese strategy of not only challenging USA aircraft and ships that come near its disputed South China Sea claims, but also disputing US aircraft and ships within most of China’s so-called U-shape nine-dotted line, which represents Beijing’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea.
“Other countries have long maintained a large number of military facilities on the islands and reefs around us”. But Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the sea.
“We’ve reduced that risk by improving dialogue at multiple levels under the bilateral confidence building measures, and the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement”, he said.
The Defence Department was addressing the issue through diplomatic and military channels. The mid-air collision killed the Chinese pilot and forced the American aircraft to land in China.
“According to the related Chinese authorities, the United States allegation is not true”, said Mr Hong. The crew of 24 U.S. Navy aviators were held on Hainan island in China for 11 days.
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Now China has responded with fury, insisting the plane was over its coastal waters and demanding the U.S. stop its reconnaissance flights.
