However, there have been a few cases in which Chinese military aircraft have shot down unidentified objects that were believed to be a threat to national security. For example, in 2001, a Chinese fighter jet shot down a US spy plane that had entered Chinese airspace without permission.
In general, China is very careful about how it handles situations involving unidentified flying objects. The country does not want to provoke a conflict with another country, and it also does not want to give the impression that it is weak or unable to defend its airspace.