China defense ministry looking into reports of U.S. plane intercept: Global Times

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Defence Ministry is looking into reports that two Chinese fighter jets carried out an intercept of a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, the Global Times cited the ministry as saying. The reports are likely related to a U.S. military surveillance aircraft operating near China, the defense 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 on Wednesday that the incident took place in international airspace on Tuesday as the U.S. maritime patrol aircraft carried out "a routine U.S. patrol". (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Nick Macfie)