The report that Chinese military aircraft "harassed" a Canadian warplane is totally false, a source familiar with the matter told China Daily.

"In fact, the Canadian aircraft conducted close reconnaissance on Chinese side and indulged in provocative actions over the East China Sea," said the source.

"The Chinese military plane took professional measures to respond to it," the source said. "That's fully reasonable, lawful and impeccable."

Earlier this month, Canada's military accused Chinese pilots of acting "unprofessionally" during recent encounters with its planes in "international airspace".