Q: Australia today accused a Chinese fighter jet of unsafe conduct in the South China Sea. They said that the Chinese jet dropped flares near an Australian air force plane. Does the Ministry have a response to this?

A: The Australian military airplane deliberately intruded into China's airspace over Xisha Qundao without China's permission. Such move violated China's sovereignty and undermined China's national security. The Chinese side took legitimate, lawful, professional and restrained measures to expel the airplane. China has lodged serious protests with Australia and urged it to stop infringing on China's sovereignty and making provocations and stop disrupting peace and stability in the South China Sea.