Australia accused China of unsafe military conduct after a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near an Australian surveillance plane in the South China Sea.

Australia has protested what it describes as an unsafe and unprofessional interaction over the South China Sea where a Chinese fighter is accused of releasing flares that endangered an Australian military surveillance plane.

Australia protests an unsafe encounter with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea after its RAAF aircraft was intercepted during a routine mission.

Australia spotted three Chinese warships sailing near its coast as Beijing accused Canberra of sending a spy plane into its "territorial airspace" over the contested South China Sea. Newsweek has contacted the Australian and Chinese militaries for comment by email.

Australia has accused the Chinese air force of an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” with one of Canberra’s military aircraft over the South China Sea during a routine maritime surveillance operation.

Shenyang J-16 strike jet releases pyrotechnics ‘in close proximity’ to Australian surveillance plane in contested airspace

Australia has protested what it described as an unsafe and unprofessional interaction over the South China Sea where a Chinese fighter jet is accused

China in turn accused the Australian plane of "deliberately" intruding into airspace over the disputed Paracel Islands,

Australia has raised concerns with China over what it said was "unsafe and unprofessional" actions by a Chinese fighter jet towards an Australian maritime patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday. A R

Accusation comes after Australia says a Chinese military jet conducted ‘unsafe’ manoeuvres over international waters.