Defence minister Richard Marles has rebuked China for instructing one of its fighter jets to release flares at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in the South China Sea on February 11.

Defence states that it was “unsafe” and “unprofessional”.

But they failed to mention where the incident took place.

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The Chinese ministry said it was near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea — a disputed archipelago under Chinese administration since 1974, to which Vietnam and Taiwan also claim sovereignty.

The Paracel Islands include about 130 small coral islands and reefs, 220 nautical miles (350 kilometres) south-east of Hainan Island and about the same distance from Vietnam.

Under international law,

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