A Chinese J-16 fighter jet cut in front of the nose of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft on May 26, “forced the U.S. aircraft to fly through the wake,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
U.S. Air Force | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The United States has accused Chinese fighter jets of “unnecessarily aggressive maneuvers” in intercepting a U.S. spy plane in international airspace in the South China Sea.
It was the latest in a series of flashpoints in the disputed territory claimed by China.
US Indo-Pacific Command says Chinese J-16 fighter cuts in front of nose of US Air Force RC-135 ‘forces US aircraft through wake turbulence’ a statement.
The U.S. aircraft “conducted safe and routine operations in international airspace in the South China Sea in accordance with international law,” the statement said.
China’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
A video of the incident, which took place on Saturday, was posted on the Twitter account of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The South China Sea has been a major flashpoint in the Asia-Pacific region for at least the past decade, as China has grown more assertive in building its global influence with its burgeoning economic clout.
As part of its power projection, China asserts maritime jurisdiction over strategic shipping lanes rich in resources such as oil and natural gas.
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have competing claims to parts of the waterway along the vital trade route.
U.S.-China ties further strained in August after then-U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan — which China also claims as a self-governing island. She was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit despite China’s warning to the U.S. to abide by the “one China” principle.