WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- Chinese military jets intercepted U.S.
naval aircraft in at least three "provocative" incidents earlier this
year in addition to a case Washington made public last week, a U.S.
paper said Monday.
The Wall Street Journal, quoting U.S. officials, said "a rogue pilot or a group of pilots" may have been involved in the "dangerously close encounters" that occurred in international airspace over the South China Sea.
The U.S. officials do not believe the aggressive flying was directly authorized by the Chinese military, the report said.
The series of incidents underscore "how deep-seated suspicions remain, despite attempts by some senior officers and political leaders on both sides to build a working relationship," the report said.
The U.S. government said Friday that it protested to China about a near-miss incident involving military aircraft on Aug. 19 in which a Chinese fighter intercepted a U.S. patrol plane and came within 10 meters of it over the sea.
A U.S. Defense Department official said Monday that U.S. and Chinese officials will hold two-day talks starting Tuesday on the issue of "rules of behavior for air and maritime activities," probably including last week's incident.
"This is all about air and maritime stuff, so I'm sure incidents like this are of concern," the Pentagon official told reporters.
Rear Adm. James Foggo, assistant deputy chief of naval operations, will represent the United States in the bilateral dialogue with China, the official said, without providing information about the Chinese delegation.
A first round of U.S.-China talks on the issue was held on July 11, the official added.
The Wall Street Journal, quoting U.S. officials, said "a rogue pilot or a group of pilots" may have been involved in the "dangerously close encounters" that occurred in international airspace over the South China Sea.
The U.S. officials do not believe the aggressive flying was directly authorized by the Chinese military, the report said.
The series of incidents underscore "how deep-seated suspicions remain, despite attempts by some senior officers and political leaders on both sides to build a working relationship," the report said.
The U.S. government said Friday that it protested to China about a near-miss incident involving military aircraft on Aug. 19 in which a Chinese fighter intercepted a U.S. patrol plane and came within 10 meters of it over the sea.
A U.S. Defense Department official said Monday that U.S. and Chinese officials will hold two-day talks starting Tuesday on the issue of "rules of behavior for air and maritime activities," probably including last week's incident.
"This is all about air and maritime stuff, so I'm sure incidents like this are of concern," the Pentagon official told reporters.
Rear Adm. James Foggo, assistant deputy chief of naval operations, will represent the United States in the bilateral dialogue with China, the official said, without providing information about the Chinese delegation.
A first round of U.S.-China talks on the issue was held on July 11, the official added.
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