China defence ministry looking into reports of US plane intercept

BEIJING, May 19:   China’s Defence Ministry is looking into reports that two Chinese fighter jets carried out an intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, the Global Times cited the ministry as saying. The reports are likely related to a US military surveillance aircraft operating near China, the defence ministry press office said, according to the Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the Communist Party’s official People’s Daily newspaper. The Pentagon said yesterday that the incident took place in international airspace on Tuesday as the US maritime patrol aircraft carried out “a routine US patrol”.  (AGENCIES)