US pilot forced to move to avoid collision with Chinese jet over South China Sea

WASHINGTON

A Chinese jet flew alarmingly close to a US fighter jet above the South China Sea last week, forcing the American pilot to take maneuvers to avoid a collision, the US military announced Thursday.

The incident happened Dec. 21 during which the US Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs said the Chinese Navy's J-11 fighter pilot performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a US Air Force RC-135 aircraft.

The US jet was "lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace," the command said in a statement.

"The PLAN (People's Liberation Army - Navy) pilot flew an unsafe maneuver by flying in front of and within 20 feet of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the (US) RC-135 to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision," it added.

Maintaining that the US joint force in the Indo-Pacific remained dedicated to a free and open region, the statement stressed that it would continue to "fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law."

"We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law," said the statement.