China tells US to stop close surveillance after encounter

[SHANGHAI] China urged the US to stop close reconnaissance after a Chinese fighter jet had an encounter with US surveillance aircraft last week.

A US navy P-3 anti-submarine plane and a P-8 patrol aircraft conducted a reconnaissance flight within 220 kilometres of Hainan Island on Aug 19, Yang Yujun, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defence, said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

China sent a fighter to carry out routine identification and verification of the two US planes, according to the statement. The fighter maintained a safe distance from the US planes and the actions of its pilot were professional, China said.