MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine government has lodged a diplomatic protest with China following a dangerous encounter in which Chinese jets flew perilously close to a Philippine air force patrol plane and fired flares in its path over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

The incident marks the first such confrontation in the air between the two nations since tensions escalated in the region last year.

Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. confirmed there were no injuries or damage but condemned the Chinese jets' actions as highly dangerous. "If the flares came into contact with our aircraft, they could have been sucked into the propeller or intake or even set our plane on fire," Brawner warned, highlighting the potential for a catastrophic outcome.

The Department of Foreign Affairs quickly issued a diplomatic protest, while Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. criticized the Chinese actions as "unjustified, illegal, and reckless."

A task force overseeing the South China Sea called on China to cease its provocative and hazardous activities, warning that such actions could destabilize regional peace and undermine trust in China.

In response, the Southern Theater Command of China's People's Liberation Army accused the Philippine plane of illegally entering airspace claimed by China, which disrupted its military training exercises. The command said it dispatched jets and ships to track and drive away the Philippine aircraft and issued a stern warning for the Philippines to cease its "infringement, provocation, distortion, and hyping-up."

This incident follows similar encounters reported by the United States, Australia, and Canada. Chinese aircraft engaged in aggressive maneuvers over the South China Sea, a vital global trade and security route.

China has previously hinted at establishing an Air Defense Identification Zone over the South China Sea, similar to the one it declared over the East China Sea in 2013, though other nations have widely rejected this move.

Experts suggest China's actions are intended to assert its control over the disputed region. Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines, noted that China uses these incidents to project power and intimidate the Philippines and other nations with overlapping territorial claims.

The incident has further heightened tensions between China and the Philippines, with the U.S. reiterating its commitment to defend the Philippines under their mutual defense treaty if Filipino forces are attacked in the South China Sea.