US military says Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of B-52 bomber over South China Sea

A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of an American B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident, the US military said, underscoring the potential for a mishap as both countries vie for influence in the region. In the night intercept, the Shenyang J-11 twin-engine fighter closed on the US Air Force plane at an "uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of a collision," the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement released late Thursday. "We are concerned this pilot was…