Japan's accusations 'irresponsible'

A prominent general of the Chinese military urged Japan on Tuesday to "immediately stop dangerous moves that endanger China-Japan maritime and airspace security".

Xu Qiliang, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during a briefing with Geoffrey Brown, the visiting air marshal of the royal Australian air force.

In late May, Japan accused Chinese fighter jets of "unusually approaching Japanese reconnaissance aircraft". Last week, Beijing and Tokyo traded bitter remarks after Japan made a similar accusation.

The Ministry of National Defense presented video footage that shows the Japanese fighter jets, carrying missiles, stalking the Chinese planes.

Japan's accusations are "irresponsible and inflammatory remarks that are aimed at deceiving the international community and its own people", Xu said.

Japan is doing so to "fabricate excuses for removing bans on exercising the right of collective self-defense, revising the (pacifist) Constitution and boosting military buildup", Xu added.

Xu urged Tokyo to "take tangible actions to create conditions for improving the China-Japan relationship".