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 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 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was conducting a routine surveillance patrol in international waters in the South China Sea when a Chinese PLA J-16 fighter jet released flares within 100 feet of the

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.

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.

No one was injured and there was no damage to Australia's P-8A surveillance jet after Tuesday's incident, the ministry said. But China said the Australian aircraft "intentionally intruded" into its airspace and that the Chinese fighter jet responded in a "legitimate,

Beijing has reacted furiously to Canberra’s complaint after flares were were dropped on a RAAF jet, saying Australia had “deliberately intruded”.

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

Sky News host James Morrow discusses the “dangerous” last few hours as the ADF has raised the alarm on Chinese warships on the Australian coast.