A Chinese fighter jet has carried out an “unsafe” intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the East China Sea, according to Pentagon officials. China has claimed most of the South China Sea, through which US$5tn (£3.5tn) in trade passes every year. The intercept involved a Chinese J-10 fighter plane and an RC-135 reconnaissance plane, the officials said on Tuesday. In May the Pentagon said two Chinese fighter jets flew within 15 metres (50ft) of a US EP-3 aircraft over the South China Sea. Washington has accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea by creating artificial islands.

Source: The Guardian June 07, 2016 23:48 UTC