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BEIJING (PTI): China on Monday dismissed as “groundless” a media report that its Navy had confronted an Indian naval ship in the South China Sea while returning from a goodwill visit to Vietnam.

“The report is denied by the Indian Navy. We also conformed with the relevant authorities. The report is groundless,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Jiang Yu told a media briefing.

She was replying to questions whether the Chinese Government had verified Indian Government statement that its naval ship, INS Airavat, received a radio message, while through South China Sea, by a caller identifying himself as the “Chinese Navy,” stating that “you are entering Chinese waters.”

Jiang said: “I hope that media while reporting on such mater consult and confirm with the relevant governments.”

The Financial Times of London last week reported that a Chinese warship confronted the Indian Navy vessel shortly after it left Vietnamese waters in late July in the first such reported encounter between the two countries’ navies in the South China Sea.