China urges US to stop close reconnaissance

China has called on the US to stop close reconnaissance activities after the Pentagon said two Chinese fighter jets intercepted a US military aircraft over the South China Sea.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters Thursday that the Chinese aircraft kept a safe distance from the US plane, which was flying close to China's island province of Hainan.

Hainan is a military area of increasing sensitivity for China. Its bases on Hainan are home to an expanding fleet of nuclear-armed submarines and a big target for ongoing Western surveillance operations.

The Guangdong coast is also believed to be home to some of China's most advanced missiles, including the DF-21D anti-ship weapon.

"We demand that the United States immediately cease this type of close reconnaissance activity to avoid having this sort of incident happening again," Hong said.

The Pentagon said on Wednesday Chinese jets carried out an “unsafe” intercept of its aircraft, which was conducting “a routine US patrol” in international airspace.

It said two Chinese J-11 fighters flew within about 15 meters (50 feet) of the EP-3 Aries on Tuesday, forcing the US pilot to descend sharply to avoid a collision.

Hong said the actions of the Chinese aircraft were "completely in keeping with safety and professional standards."

"They maintained safe behavior and did not engage in any dangerous action," he said.

The incident comes a week after China scrambled fighter jets as a US Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

SS