China dismisses as 'groundless' U.S. protest over airborne encounter

[unhappycamper]

http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-plane-encounter-20140823-story.html



This photo taken Aug. 19 shows a Chinese fighter jet that the Obama administration said conducted a "dangerous intercept" of a U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft off the coast of China in international airspace

China dismisses as 'groundless' U.S. protest over airborne encounter
By Julie Makinen
8.23.2014

China’s Defense Ministry on Saturday acknowledged an encounter between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy aircraft in recent days but rejected as “totally groundless” Pentagon assertions that the Chinese pilot conducted an aggressive midair intercept of the American plane.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said Friday that the Chinese fighter made three passes dangerously close to the U.S. submarine-hunting P-8 Poseidon on Aug. 19 about 135 miles east of Hainan island in the South China Sea.

U.S. officials said the Poseidon was on routine patrol above international waters. At one point, Kirby said, the Chinese jet flew within 30 feet of the U.S. plane and later did a barrel roll over the top of it.

Beijing acknowledged that Chinese and U.S. aircraft did encounter each other about 135 miles east of Hainan but Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun dismissed the Pentagon’s version of events.