Response to Australian plane 'professional, safe', ministry says

China responded professionally and safely to an Australian surveillance aircraft that approached the country's territorial airspace over the South China Sea, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said on Tuesday.

"On May 26, an Australian P-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft conducted close reconnaissance in the neighboring airspace of China's Xisha Islands and approached the airspace continuously despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side," ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Tan Kefei said in a statement. 

"The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command mobilized naval and air forces to identify the craft and warned it off," he said.

On Sunday, Australia accused the Chinese military of putting an Australian Defense Force flight crew at risk when their warplane, which was conducting surveillance over the South China Sea, was intercepted by a Chinese military plane.

"The Chinese military responded in a professional, safe, reasonable and lawful way," said the spokesman. He expressed firm opposition to Australia's account, which "spread false information and agitated for confrontation".

Tan urged Australia to stop its "dangerous provocative actions" immediately and strictly constrain its naval and air forces. 

"Otherwise, Australia will be responsible for all severe consequences," he said.