China's state-media has dialled up the rhetoric over disputed waters in the South China Sea, with one commentator saying if Australian aircraft were to conduct reconnaissance flights they should be shot down.

Zeng Jinrun, a columnist published by the hawkish Global Times website, said Australia would pay a "dear price" for siding with the United States.

"If an Australian military aircraft arrives as planned, China should use Russia as an example and take bold action and send our military aircraft to drive it away," Mr Zeng wrote in the editorial. "If this does not work we should just shoot it down."

"If an Australian military aircraft arrives as planned, China should use Russia as an example and take bold action and send our military aircraft to drive it away," Zeng Jinrun wrote in an editorial. "If this does not work we should just shoot it down." Supplied

The comments, which are the most hawkish yet in the escalating dispute, came after suggestions in the Australian media that Canberra was considering sending aircraft or ships to region.

This could involve an RAAF reconnaissance aircraft flying within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands Beijing is building in disputed water in the South China Sea.