Australia has accused a Chinese military aircraft of releasing flares 'in close proximity' to its patrol jet over the South China Sea.
The Australian government has raised its concern with Beijing over the 'unsafe and unprofessional' manoeuvre, the defence department said in a statement on Monday.
There was no damage to Australia's P-8A aircraft and its personnel were unharmed after Sunday's encounter.
'Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,' Australia Defence Force stated.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry was unaware of the incident when asked by reporters.
This is the latest in a series of encounters between the two countries' militaries in a region where China’s extensive claims overlap with those of its neighbors.
Sunday's incident coincided with Australian Prime Minister heading to the US for discussions with President Donald Trump on the Aukus multi-billion dollar submarine deal involving Australia, the US, and the UK.
Earlier this year, Australia accused a Chinese jet of dropping flares near an Australian plane in the same area, which China denied, claiming the Australian jet had illegally entered its airspace.
Although it does not claim sovereignty over the South China Sea, Australia has closely aligned itself with the US and its allies in disputing the legality of China's claims.
In May 2023, Australia similarly criticized a Chinese fighter plane for dropping flares near an Australian navy helicopter involved in a UN Security Council mission. Also, in November 2023, Canberra accused the Chinese navy of injuring Australian divers through the use of sonar pulses in international waters off Japan.
