The US spy planes frequent China's coastline

A US media report that said the Pentagon recently claimed that a "Chinese fighter jet conducted a "dangerous intercept' of a US plane" has stirred up broad concerns in both countries.

In response, Yang Yujun, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Defense said large-scale and frequent close-in reconnaissance missions launched by the United States jeopardize the maritime and aerial security of both countries, adding they are a potential cause of accidents.

The United States stepped up surveillance of China's coastline following the end of the Cold War in the 1990s. The US spying activities covered the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Statistics show that US warplanes have launched 500 close-in reconnaissance missions on China on average each year and the military aircraft are generally airborne for more than 10 years in each mission.

The US military has a wide range of reconnaissance aircraft, the most famous of which include the P-3Cs, P-8As and EP-3s that belong to the US Navy, and the RC-135s and Global Hawks in the USAF rank.

Apart from conventional surveillance measures such as taking photographs and videos, these aircraft are capable of monitoring radio communications hundreds of miles away and gathering electronic information relating to ballistic missile deployment.

The following is a list of the U.S. military planes that frequent China's coastline:

P-3 Orion

The P-3 Orion is a low-wing cantilever monoplane maritime surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft which is powered by four turboprop engines. The plane was developing by Lockheed-Martin after being modified from the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.

The P-3 project started in 1957. It took off in August, 1958 and was delivered to the US Navy in April, 1961. The P-3 has a few further variants, namely the P-3B (with T56-A-14 turboprop engines and upgraded avionics), and the more recent P-3C (that entered service in 1969)

The P-3C carries 10 crew members. It is equipped with "MAD Boom", used for the magnetic detection of submarines, as well as radar, sonar and photographing devices. The P-3C measures 35.57 in length and 10.27 in height and has a wingspan of 30.36 meters.

EP-3 Aires

The EP-3 Aires is the electronic intelligence-gathering version of the P-3 Orion. It uses electronic snooping devices to 'fingerprint' foreign vessels, enabling intelligence staff to keep track of naval and commercial ship movements. While prowling the oceans, the EP-3 can monitor electronic communications over a large area; it is also capable of intercepting radar and radio signals from as far as 740 kilometers away.

A US Navy EP-3 was flying near China's territorial waters to the southeast of Hainan Island on April 1, 2011, prompting two Chinese naval military aircraft to scramble after intercepting them.

At 09:07, the US EP-3 made a sudden turn towards a Chinese jet fighter J-8 II, which was keeping a steady attitude. The US jet's left wing and nose hit the Chinese jet, causing it to crash, killing the Chinese pilot, Wang Wei. Then, the U.S. military aircraft entered China's airspace without permission before landing at Lingshui Airport at 09:33.