China says U.S. spy plane entered no-fly zone during military drills

China, on Wednesday, protested the alleged incursion of a U.S. spy plane into a no-fly zone imposed during military drills in the country’s North.

According to Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, an Air Force U-2 plane entered the no-fly zone for live-fire military exercises without authorisation and seriously interfered with the People’s Liberation Army’s activities.

“This is a stark provocation; China has lodged a solemn protest with the U.S. about the issue,’’ Lijian said.

The ministry’s spokesman, however, did not specify the time and place of the incident.

The Chinese army was scheduled to conduct drills over the Bohai Sea, beginning from August until Sept. 30.

The U.S. Pacific Air Forces told CNN a U-2 spy plane flew in the Indo-Pacific area but did not violate any international rules.

Relations between China and the U.S. have sunk to the lowest point in decades as the two countries are quarrelling over issues such as China’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, trade and Beijing’s policies in Hong Kong/Xinjiang.

However, another point of contention was China’s militarisation of disputed Islands in the South China Sea, where territories were claimed by five other nations.

The U.S. occasionally operates freedom of navigation manoeuvres in the South China Sea, drawing Beijing’s criticism.