China said on Wednesday that a U.S. RC-135 surveillance aircraft deliberately broke into a Chinese military training area in the South China Sea on May 26 to carry out reconnaissance and interference.
China had sent aircraft to track and monitor the U.S. jet in accordance with laws and regulations, said Zhang Nandong, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, on Wednesday.
The response came after the U.S. recently accused China of conducting an "unnecessarily aggressive" maneuver near a U.S. military plane over the South China Sea in international airspace, which the Chinese spokesperson said was a total disregard of facts and an attempt to mislead the international public.
"We sternly urge the U.S. side to effectively restrain the actions of its frontline forces at sea and in the air, strictly comply with relevant international law and agreements to prevent air and sea accidents; otherwise, all consequences arising therefrom will be borne by the U.S. side," the spokesperson warned.
The Chinese army is always on high alert and will resolutely defend China's national sovereignty and security, as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea, the spokesperson added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the U.S.'s provocative and dangerous moves the root cause of maritime security issues, as the U.S. has frequently sent aircraft and vessels to conduct close-in reconnaissance on China.
"The U.S. needs to immediately stop such dangerous acts of provocation. We will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our sovereignty and security," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press briefing.
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