CHINA’S Defence Ministry complained yesterday that Japanese surveillance activities threaten the safety of Chinese ships and aircraft.

Beijing raised the issue after Tokyo said earlier this week that the number of its jet-fighter scrambles had hit levels unseen since the cold war.

Japan’s air force claimed that the increase in scrambles was due to its air space being probed in the north by Russian aircraft and in the south by Chinese ones.

Beijing responded that its air force activities met international laws and norms.

“In recent years, Japanese ships and aircraft have often followed and monitored for lengthy periods and at close distances, threatening the safety of the Chinese side,” the ministry said.

“This is the cause of the safety issue in the seas and air between China and Japan.

“China has a grip on the tracking and surveillance by Japanese ships and aircraft and takes only necessary steps to deal with it,” it said.