China rejects Canadian and Australian charges

Beijing: China defended its military pilots on Monday, saying they acted properly and were protecting its sovereignty, following recent complaints by Canada and Australia that Chinese planes engaged in risky maneuvers with their aircraft over the Pacific.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said China swiftly took reasonable, forceful and professional measures in response to Canada's provocative acts and unfriendly and unprofessional operations.

Last week, the Canadian military accused Chinese planes of not following international safety norms on several occasions and putting a Canadian crew at risk.

A June 1 statement said the Chinese planes tried to divert a Canadian long-range patrol aircraft from its path, and that the crew had to change direction quickly to avoid a potential collision.

Such interactions ... are of concern and of increasing frequency, the statement said.