If threatened, China could take serious action against US

American officials claim the Chinese jet performed a ‘barrel roll’ – at one point coming within 10 meters of their plane. Beijing says it was keeping a safe distance and that American spy missions pose a threat to its core security interests, and could be considered as a hostile act. Every year the US flies about five hundred missions around China – as well as monitoring from the sea and from satellites. Andrew K. P. Leung – a China specialist – says Beijing could take serious action if it feels it’s being threatened.