The U.S. plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Chinese soil at Lingshui, on the southern tip of Hainan Island, China. The Chinese fighter was lost in the South China Sea.

Chinese officials have blamed the United States for the incident. The U.S.has accused China of intercepting military aircraft in an "unsafe manner."

The incident comes at a time when Sino-American relations are under increasing strain as the U.S reviews its weapons sales to Taiwan.