The Philippine foreign ministry said on Friday it was "concerned" over what it described as "unsafe manoeuvres" and the use of flares by a Chinese air force plane against an Australian Air Force aircraft in the South China Sea.

China accused Australia of deliberately "provoking" China in the South China Sea this week, and of "invading" and "breaking into" the homes of others, its defence ministry said on Friday. The ministry spokesperson said Australia was spreading "false narratives".

Australia said Thursday that a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near an Australian air force plane patrolling the South China Sea, accusing Beijing of “unsafe” military conduct. Beijing swiftly hit back,