China accused Australia on Friday of deliberately provoking it with a maritime patrol in the disputed South China Sea this week, saying the latter was spreading "false narratives", though Australia maintained its action adhered to international law.

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.

"All countries are expected to respect freedom of navigation and overflight in and above international sea lines of communication, such as the South China Sea, and to avoid interference in legitimate activities conducted in international waters and airspace,