ISTANBUL

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over what it called "dangerous maneuvers" and flares against Filipino aircraft flying over the disputed South China Sea.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza confirmed on Tuesday that Manila had lodged the protest, according to Rappler News.

Manila said Chinese military planes allegedly conducted “dangerous maneuvers” and dropped flares in the path of Philippine Air Force aircraft when flying over the Scarborough Shoal.

China’s People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command had said it deployed maritime and aerial forces to "identify, verify, track, monitor, warn, and drive away the intruding aircraft in accordance with the law."

It said the operation was carried out professionally and in adherence to legal standards.

The Scarborough Shoal is a high-tide elevation claimed by both China and the Philippines. The issue of sovereignty over the feature remains unresolved.

China urges Manila to stop 'infringement activities'

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged Manila to stop the "infringement activities and provocations" at Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) "at once."

Lin said Beijing will continue to act "resolutely in accordance with the law to firmly safeguard its national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," state-run Xinhua News reported.

He claimed that Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory, and Beijing has "indisputable sovereignty" over it and its adjacent airspace and waters.

"Philippine military aircraft twice intruded into the adjacent airspace of Huangyan Dao on Aug. 7 and 8, which gravely infringed upon China's sovereignty and violated international law and the basic norms governing international relations," he was quoted as saying.

The Chinese military took "necessary and lawful" measures in response, and their maneuvers at the scene were professional and consistent with Chinese and international law, said Lin.