China's defense ministry on Tuesday rejected US accusations that two Chinese jets conducted an "unsafe" intercept of a US EP-3 reconnaissance plane flying in international airspace over the East China Sea.

In a statement, ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said the Chinese air force acted in a "legitimate, necessary and professional" manner. China also urged the US to stop such "unsafe, unprofessional and unfriendly" activity, according to the statement.

US Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters on Monday at the Pentagon that one of two Chinese fighter jets flew underneath the US EP-3 aircraft "at a high rate of speed", before slowing and flying 300 feet ahead of the EP-3, causing the US plane to take "evasive action to prevent the possibility of collision."