The Philippine government on Saturday accused China of firing flares from just a few meters away from one of its aircraft during patrol flights over the South China Sea last week.

A Chinese fighter jet “conducted irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers” on August 19 when the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft conducted a “maritime reconnaissance flight” near Scarborough Reef, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.

The unprovoked Chinese “harassment” also included “the repeated firing of flares at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters around the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft,” the task force added in a statement.

On August 22, flares were also fired near the same aircraft from the Chinese-controlled Subi Reef as the patrol boat “observed and intercepted poachers entering the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and territorial waters,” it said.

Flares are commonly used by military aircraft as a decoy to protect against missiles, but also for illumination.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea and has been embroiled in tense maritime standoffs with Manila in the strategic waterway in recent months, raising fears of an armed conflict that could also draw in the United States, a military ally of the Philippines.

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that two Philippine military aircraft entered Chinese airspace over Subi Reef, which is also claimed by Manila, on August 22.

The Chinese side has “taken necessary countermeasures in accordance with the law to protect its own sovereignty and security,” it said in a statement.

The Philippine government said the BFAR aircraft was a civilian Cessna aircraft.

The Chinese statement made no mention of a possible August 19 incident at Scarborough Reef, which China seized from the Philippines following a conflict in 2012.

The Scarborough Reef incident occurred several hours after Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels collided near Sabina Reef, with the Philippine side reporting structural damage to both of its patrol vessels.

The shoal is located 140 km (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 km from Hainan Island, the nearest Chinese landmass.

The Philippines also accused a Chinese Air Force aircraft of conducting a “dangerous maneuver” and firing flares into the path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft patrolling over Scarborough on August 10.

In June, the Philippine military said one of its sailors lost a thumb in a confrontation off Second Thomas Shoal, when Chinese coast guards armed with sticks, knives and an axe also confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment, including weapons.

Beijing blames Manila for the escalation and stresses that its measures to protect its claims are legal and proportionate.

Despite an international court ruling that there is no legal basis for its claims, it continues to insist on its claims to almost the entire South China Sea.

Manila on Saturday called on Beijing to “immediately cease all provocative and dangerous actions that threaten the safety of Philippine vessels and aircraft engaged in legitimate and regular activities in Philippine territory and the exclusive economic zone,” as well as impair freedom of navigation and overflight.

“Such actions undermine regional peace and security and further damage the image of the People’s Republic of China in the international community,” the task force said in a statement.