SYDNEY: Australia on Monday rebuked Beijing for “unsafe” military conduct, accusing a Chinese warplane of dropping flares near an Australian surveillance plane over the South China Sea. The Australian Poseidon was flying a surveillance patrol over the South China Sea on Sunday when it was approached by a Chinese fighter jet, Australia’s defense department said. The Chinese jet released flares in “close proximity” to the Australian aircraft, the defense department added, endangering the crew onboard.

A Chinese jet allegedly dropped a flare close to an Australian plane over the South China Sea.

SYDNEY: Australia on Monday rebuked Beijing for “unsafe” military conduct, accusing a Chinese warplane of dropping flares near an Australian surveillance plane over the South…

China and Australia have traded accusations over an incident Australia said involved a Chinese jet releasing flares.