China says Australia military plane in S. China Sea threatens sovereignty

China said on Tuesday that its military has identified Australian military aircraft and warned them to leave after Australia said fighter aircraft intercepted one of its military surveillance planes in the South China Sea.

Tan Kefei, the spokesman at the Chinese defense ministry, said Australian military aircraft seriously threatened China's sovereignty and security and the countermeasures taken by the Chinese military were reasonable and lawful.

A Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May, Australia's defense department said on Sunday.