China rejects US claim of midair intercept

Beijing on Saturday dismissed the Pentagon's accusation that a Chinese fighter jet flew too close to a US military aircraft off Hainan Island. State media blamed "massive and frequent" surveillance for dangerous midair confrontations.

US Rear Admiral John Kirby said on Friday that the armed Chinese warplane came close to the US surveillance aircraft three times, flying underneath it, at its nose and then in parallel, with wingtips less than nine meters apart.

In approaching the P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft, the Chinese jet at one point performed a barrel roll, apparently to display its weapons, Kirby said, calling the incident a "very dangerous" intercept.