(MENAFN) On Sunday, China rebuked Japan for what it described as “unusual” aerial confrontations involving military aircraft from both nations.

This response came after Tokyo filed an official protest with Beijing regarding the incident, according to a state-supported Chinese media outlet.

Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, stated that a Japanese Air Force reconnaissance aircraft had repeatedly entered China's East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone.

The purpose of these entries, he explained, was to carry out close-range intelligence-gathering operations.

Jiang elaborated that Chinese military planes responded by confirming, identifying, tailing, and observing the Japanese aircraft's maneuvers.

He emphasized that the actions taken by Chinese forces were "entirely legitimate, reasonable, and conducted in a professional and standard manner."

He further underscored that continued close-range reconnaissance and “harassment” by Japanese military vessels and aircraft pose threats to both maritime and aerial safety.

Jiang called on Tokyo to "work with China to foster an atmosphere conducive to the stable development of bilateral ties," encouraging collaboration to ease tensions.

The incident gained attention after Japan announced on Thursday that Chinese military jets “made unusual close approaches toward (Japanese) Air Self-Defense Force aircraft conducting surveillance and monitoring operations over the East China Sea” on July 9 and 10.

As per the Japanese Defense Ministry, a Chinese fighter-bomber approached within approximately 30 meters (98 feet) of a Japanese military aircraft during those two consecutive days over the disputed area.

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