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.

China claims Australia provoked an incident on Tuesday where a Chinese fighter jet released flares in front of an Australian military plane in the South China Sea.

China in turn accused the Australian plane of "deliberately" intruding into airspace over the disputed Paracel Islands,