The Philippine government accused China on Saturday of firing flares at one of its aircraft as it flew patrols over the South China Sea this month.
Beijing claims most of the strategic waterway and has been involved in tense maritime confrontations with Manila in recent months, sparking fears of armed conflict that could draw in the United States, a Filipino military ally.
A Chinese fighter jet "engaged in irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers" on Monday as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane made a "maritime domain awareness flight" near Scarborough Shoal, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.