China lodges complaint with US over spy plane flight

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING -- China has lodged a complaint with Washington over a U.S. spy plane that flew over parts of the disputed South China Sea last week, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday (25/5).

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks at regular briefing, adding that China urged the U.S. to correct mistakes and avoid "irresponsible words and deeds" about the South China Sea issue.

The U.S. surveillance jet flew over areas where China is building artificial islands. Washington has called the flight "entirely appropriate", but China has said it endangered the security of its islands and reefs.

A Chinese state-owned newspaper, the Global Times, said on Monday that "war is inevitable" between China and the United States over the South China Sea unless Washington stops demanding Beijing halt the building of artificial islands.