BEIJING – China’s Defence Ministry said on Friday that a US Department of Defence statement accusing its military of “risky and coercive” aerial intercepts was a premeditated smear against China with ulterior political motives.

“China is firmly opposed to it and has lodged stern representations to the US side,” the ministry said in a statement.

The US Department of Defence said on Tuesday that Chinese fighter jets had been increasingly engaging in coercive and risky operational behaviour in the Indo-Pacific since 2021.

It added: “The unsafe interceptions of US and allied aircraft in international airspace is a centralised and concerted campaign by Chinese officials to coerce a change in lawful US operational activity.”

The Chinese Defence Ministry said in response that the United States had been hyping up a “Chinese military threat” that it said was non-existent.

“The root cause of the maritime and air military security issues between China and the US lies in the fact that US warships and planes come to China’s doorstep from afar to cause trouble and provocation,” the ministry said.

It urged the US to stop what it called provocative actions, avoid “misunderstandings and misjudgment” and prevent maritime and air accidents. REUTERS