The Pentagon revealed on Friday that an armed Chinese fighter jet did a “very dangerous” series of aerobatic maneuvers around a Navy patrol aircraft as it was flying near the coast of China earlier this week.
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby described the encounter as “pretty aggressive and very unprofessional.”
The Chinese jet flew within 30 feet of the patrol aircraft, which is formally referred to as a P-8 Poseidon, according to Adm. Kirby. The jet made several passes, flying alongside and under the Navy airplane. The jet even did a “barrel roll” maneuver over the U.S. military aircraft, Adm. Kirby said.
Following the unorthodox antics of the Chinese jet, the Pentagon aired its grievances through diplomatic channels, according to Adm. Kirby.
“We have registered our strong concerns with the Chinese about the unsafe and unprofessional intercept, which posed a risk to the safety and well being of the air crew and was inconsistent with customary international law,” he said.
Adm. Kirby said the Chinese pilot’s behavior was not in keeping with the kind of military-to-military relationship that the United States wants to have with China.
• Maggie Ybarra can be reached at mybarra@washingtontimes.com.
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