Iran Press/ Asia: The United States has accused a Chinese fighter jet of performing an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” against one of its aircraft during a flight over the South China Sea, a disputed region of significant strategic importance.
The Chinese J-16 fighter cut directly in front of the nose of the US RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft on May 26, forcing the US plane to fly through the wake turbulence of the intercepting aircraft.
In video of the incident released by the US military, the turbulence is evident as it intercepts the US aircraft along its flight path.
The intercept comes amid strained relations between the two countries following former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to the self-governing island of Taiwan last August and the US' decision to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that transited over sensitive US military sites in February.
