Beijing contradicts US claim over ‘aggressive maneuver’ by Chinese jet

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Wednesday contradicted claims made by the US over an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” by a Chinese J-16 fighter jet last Friday.

“Long-term US close-in reconnaissance operations on China seriously violate China's sovereignty security and are a source of maritime safety issues,” said Mao Ning, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, during a news briefing in Beijing.

She was responding to the Pentagon’s claims on a Chinese J-16 fighter jet intercepting a US RC-135 spy plane over the disputed South China Sea.

Pentagon said Tuesday the US reconnaissance aircraft was flying in international airspace when it was intercepted by the Chinese jet.

“China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard sovereignty security,” said Mao, according to the Chinese daily Global Times.

According to US Indo-Pacific Command, the incident occurred last Friday in the airspace above the South China Sea when the J-16 intercepted a US RC-135 spy plane, flying “directly in front of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the US aircraft to fly through its wake turbulence.”

“The RC-135 was conducting safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, in accordance with international law,” it said.

The mineral-rich warm waters of the South China Sea have long been a subject of contention between China and some regional countries, with the US siding with countries opposing Beijing's claims.

Washington has frequently sailed its warships and flown its fighter jets over the warm waters of the South China Sea under the so-called "freedom of navigation," which Beijing has repeatedly denounced as a violation of its territorial integrity.

China's claims are based on its "nine-dash line," which are purple dashes on official Chinese maps that represent Beijing's historical claims to the sea.