U.S. reports China’s jets again too close

WASHINGTON — Two Chinese aircraft conducted an unprofessional intercept of a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea, the Pentagon said Friday, marking the second time in about a week that the U.S. has complained about unsafe Chinese operations in the region.

A defense official said one of the Chinese J-10 fighter jets flew about 200 yards in front of the U.S. P-3 aircraft and about 100 feet above it, doing slow turns. The second Chinese fighter remained about 750 yards off the P-3’s right wing. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross said the Navy P-3 Orion was operating in international airspace. He said the U.S. is reviewing the incident and will convey concerns to the Chinese.

Last week, U.S. defense officials said two Chinese SU-30 jets conducted an unprofessional intercept of an American radiation-sniffing surveillance plane in the East China Sea.

Pacific Air Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Lori Hodge said at the time that the Chinese aircraft approached a WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft — a modified Boeing C-135 — conducting a routine mission in international airspace in accordance with international law.