Canberra and Beijing are trading barbs over an incident between a Chinese fighter jet and Australia military plane.

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

Defence personnel have detected three Chinese warships operating near the north-east of Australia - just two days after the Chinese military dropped flares on an Australian plane

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 has raised concerns with China over what it said on Thursday were "unsafe and unprofessional" actions by a Chinese fighter jet towards an Australian maritime patrol in the South China Sea two days earlier,

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.

China accused Australia of provocation with a maritime patrol in the South China Sea, as a Chinese jet released flares near an Australian aircraft. Australia upheld its actions under international law,

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said it is concerned over a Chinese fighter jet's "unsafe maneuvers" and the firing of flares near an Australian aircraft while the latter was patrolling at the West Philippine Sea.

China has been quick to respond to claims a Chinese fighter jet released flares within 30 metres of an Australian aircraft.

In a tense and potentially dangerous encounter in the South China Sea, a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to an Australian military plane. The incident, described by Australian Defence officials as “unsafe and unprofessional,