China is telling the United States military to stop gathering intelligence along China’s coast after an incident involving aircraft from the two countries. The U.S. Defense Department described an “unsafe” meeting between a U.S. military airplane and two Chinese fighter jets. It said the Chinese jets intercepted the plane on a routine patrol Tuesday in international airspace over the South China Sea. A Chinese foreign ministry official said the jets followed and observed the U.S. plane “in accordance” with international law. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Chinese aircraft “continually kept a safe distance and did not take any dangerous actions.” He said the intercept took place near China’s southern province of Hainan, and that it was a “serious threat” to Chinese airspace. The incident comes at a time of growing concern in East Asia over China’s territorial claims. China claims most of the South China Sea. But Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the sea.