Chinese fighter jets intercept US aircraft over East China Sea

US officials said on July 24 that China scrambled two fighter jets to intercept a US Navy surveillance plane over the East China Sea over the weekend.

According to preliminary reports, one of the Chinese J-10s approached the US EP-3 at a distance of 91 meters, causing it to change direction, Reuters quoted two unnamed officials as saying.

A US EP-3 surveillance aircraft is escorted by an EA-18G. Photo: Reuters

The Chinese fighters were armed and the location where they intercepted the US aircraft was 80 nautical miles (about 148km) from the city of Qingdao, one of the two officials added.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis also confirmed the July 23 intercept. He described the J-10 flying at high speed below the EP-3, then slowing down and flying in front of the US aircraft.

“Interceptions happen quite frequently in international airspace. Most are done safely,” Davis said.

Earlier, US officials said on May 24 that two Chinese Su-30 fighter jets intercepted an aircraft designed to detect US radar while it was flying in international airspace over the East China Sea, with one of the jets flying just over 180m away from the US aircraft.

According to Vietnamnet.vn