Report: China demanded U.S. plane leave island airspace

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated the military branch that flies the P8-A Poseidon. It is the U.S. Navy. The erroneous information was provided by the Associated Press.

China said it is entitled to monitor the airspace and seas around artificial islands in the South China Sea after a reported exchange between its navy and a U.S. surveillance plane, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

CNN reported that on Wednesday its journalists, who had been allowed to join the flight, heard a Chinese navy dispatcher make eight demands that a U.S. P8-A Poseidon surveillance aircraft leave the area as it flew over Fiery Cross Reef.

China is undergoing a massive land reclamation program in the South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by five other countries, including U.S. treaty ally Philippines.

The U.S. says the string of artificial islands the nation is building could be used as military bases from which the country could attempt to restrict air and sea traffic.

On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated Beijing's claim of indisputable sovereignty over the islands, and said it entitles China to keep watch over the surrounding area to "maintain national security and avoid any maritime accidents," according to the AP.

said during a recent visit to China that the U.S. was "concerned about the pace and scope" of the project.

He said he had urged China through Foreign Minister Wang Yi "to take actions that will join everybody in helping to reduce tensions and increase the prospect of a diplomatic solution."

Contributing: Kirk Spitzer