Chinese official says jets maintained a safe distance from American aircraft; urges Washington to halt such reconnaissance activities.

China criticized Washington for deploying a U.S. reconnaissance plane near Chinese territory, but denied a Pentagon account that Chinese jet fighters conducted a risky close-range interception—the latest spat between the powers that fueled concern over the growing risks of accidental military clashes. – WSJ


Two Chinese fighters have carried out an “unsafe” intercept of a US military aircraft over the South China Sea, the Pentagon says.

The incident happened in international airspace on 17 May as the US maritime reconnaissance aircraft carried out a routine patrol in the area, it added.