No...either way it was unprofessional.Unprofessional? More like professionalism. The Chinese pilot kept the target in sight at all time and won't get any nasty surprise if the target were to suddenly pull up. Flying above the US plane without inverting would actually be idiotic, because neither side could see the other. This inverted manoeuvre is actually safer. Beside, in international airspace, Chinese aircraft can fly however the heck they want. America's concept of professionalism has no jurisdiction here.
It was provocative...and either it was ordered and meant to be that way...which would be even worse. Or it was a pilot being reckless.
Getting that close to another aircraft, particular that type of aircraft, inverted or not is dangerous and reckless.
We saw what it could cause years ago and we do not want or need (and neither do the Chinese) a repeat of such an incident.
When aircraft are operating in international air space...even if their exercise is to gather intel...if they are in international air space they are accorded basic operational respect.
THAT was not it.