This is the astonishing moment a man experiences a once-in-a-lifetime face-to-face encounter with a Siberian tiger in a snow-covered forest in China.

Smartphone footage shows the endangered animal looking directly at the man recording the video, Mr Wang, on Tuesday, December 26.

Mr Wang can then be heard telling it something, as the animal, considered the largest feline in the world, continues staring at him until the clip ends.

The astonished motorist said that he came across the Siberian tiger while driving down a road in Yanbian, in China's north-eastern Jilin Province.

He explained that he watched the more than 400-kilogramme-heavy (880 lbs) wild animal for 10 minutes straight through his car's window.

Mr Wang also added that he was not scared during the encounter.