The incident involved a US army P-8A surveillance plane that flew near islands and reefs including the Yongshu Reef of China's Nansha Islands, on a reconnaissance mission, ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news conference in Beijing on Friday.
A CNN news crew onboard the US plane reported that the Chinese navy warned the plane to leave the area eight times as it flew over a Chinese island.
The Chinese forces then "drove them off with warnings through radio transmissions in accordance with regulations", Hong said.
The close-in reconnaissance "poses potential threats to the security of Chinese islands and reefs, and may easily lead to miscalculation and prompt further unexpected incidents in the sea or airspace", he said.
The US actions were "very irresponsible and very dangerous, sabotaging regional peace and stability", he added.
Beijing strongly protests against US spy plane encounter - World - Chinadaily.com.cn
A CNN news crew onboard the US plane reported that the Chinese navy warned the plane to leave the area eight times as it flew over a Chinese island.
The Chinese forces then "drove them off with warnings through radio transmissions in accordance with regulations", Hong said.
The close-in reconnaissance "poses potential threats to the security of Chinese islands and reefs, and may easily lead to miscalculation and prompt further unexpected incidents in the sea or airspace", he said.
The US actions were "very irresponsible and very dangerous, sabotaging regional peace and stability", he added.
Beijing strongly protests against US spy plane encounter - World - Chinadaily.com.cn
Sure South China Sea is international water but it is China's backyard lake and it is completely our responsibility, and not the concern of a country on the other side of the planet.
