What recent confrontation has occurred in the South China Sea following Australia's condemnation of China?

A new confrontation has emerged in the South China Sea just days after Australia officially condemned Beijing for unsafe military conduct. The incident involved a Chinese fighter jet releasing flares dangerously close to an Australian surveillance aircraft, which Australia denounced as unsafe military behavior. This follows reports from the Philippine Coast Guard about a Chinese Navy helicopter threatening a Philippine surveillance aircraft over Scarborough Shoal, highlighting China's increasingly aggressive expansion in the region despite international rulings against such actions. These incidents represent an escalation of tensions that threatens regional stability and has prompted defensive responses from affected nations.