Chinese aircraft intercept U.S. reconnaissance plane over South China Sea: Pentagon

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Two Chinese tactical aircraft carried out an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. military aircraft on May 17, the Pentagon said in a statement on Wednesday.

The incident took place in "international airspace" as the U.S. maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft carried out "a routine U.S. patrol" in the South China Sea, the statement said.

Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea after creating artificial islands while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-south-china-sea-idUSKCN0Y92ZA

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World | Wed May 18, 2016 5:38pm EDT

[jpak]

1. China is going to overplay its cards

yup

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. Poor China.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. ... and then we'll show them!

(whatever that means in diplomatic-speak)

We're not going to start shooting at China. They'd call in the debt.

[arcane1]

2. "Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea"

Yet we have our military there on "patrol". It's not "militarizing" when WE do it

[braddy]

3. There is a difference between trying to maintain free travel of the oceans, and trying to block it.

[Blue_Tires]

5. And they are...

China's been planning a takeover for awhile now to get a stranglehold on the lucrative shipping and fishing lines that are the economic lifeblood for the countries in that region. And despite the name, the South China Sea doesn't belong to them...

[hack89]

6. Keeping international waters open for free passage of commerce is not militarizing.

China is trying to turn international waters into national waters by building military bases on tiny reefs and islands in defiance of international law.

[Odin2005]

7. Yes, how DARE we defend our allies! THE NERVE!!!

Fuck all this "Hate America First" shit.

[Old Vet]

8. Routine patrols first found these Airfields................

Very concerning to its neighbors ya think? Don't kid yourself, Chinas military is a force to be reckoned with.