Australia said one of its surveillance planes was cut off by a Chinese fighter jet in international airspace over the South China Sea in the latest encounter between the militaries of the two countries.

The RAAF P-8 aircraft was undertaking routine maritime surveillance activities on May 26 when it was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter aircraft that "resulted in a dangerous maneuver which posed a safety threat” to the P-8 and its crew, Australia's Department of Defence said in a statement Sunday.

The J-16 fighter had flown "very close to the side” of the P-8 aircraft, Defence Minister Richard Marles said at a press conference Sunday.