TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese warplane came within 6 meters of a U.S. Air Force (USAF) reconnaissance plane in international airspace over the South China Sea last week, forcing the U.S. aircraft to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.

On Thursday (Dec. 29), the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) announced that a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Shenyang J-11 fighter pilot executed an "unsafe maneuver" when intercepting a USAF RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, while it was "lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace" on Dec. 21. The J-11 pilot allegedly flew an "unsafe maneuver" by flying in front of the nose of the U.S. aircraft, at one point coming within 6 meters.

To avoid a collision with the Chinese fighter jet, the U.S. plane was forced to take evasive actions, according to the report. The statement said The U.S. Indo-Pacific Joint force is "dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and will continue to fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law."

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command added that it expects all nations in the Indo-Pacific region to "use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law."

The press release included a video of the incident, apparently taken from the cockpit of the RC-135. In the video, the J-11 can be seen remarkably close to the window on the left side of the cockpit.

The Chinese fighter plane can then be seen edging even closer as it moves in front of the U.S. aircraft, putting it on a trajectory to collide with the PLAN jet. To avoid a collision, the U.S. pilot lowers the nose of the aircraft to dip below the Chinese warplane and then banks hard to the right to gain more separation between the two planes.