The Chinese Defense Ministry accused the Canadian Navy on Saturday of acting provocatively in the South China Sea.

Chinese planes shot flares to thwart a Canadian chopper that flew over the South China Sea on Saturday.

Chinese fighters twice came close to a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter from the HMCS Ottawa when it was traveling close to the Paracel Islands on October 29, according to Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair on Friday.

Blair called the actions "unsafe" and stated the crew of the helicopter was in danger because of the Chinese planes.

According to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang during a news briefing the planes provided multiple warnings and rushed to locate the chopper in compliance with the rules.

Zhang explained that the Canadian chopper "not only refused to respond but also acted provocatively flying at ultra-low altitudes. "

He added that after the event, the media blamed China for the confrontation in an attempt to smear them.

"Canada's behavior violates China's domestic laws and relevant international laws, and jeopardizes China's sovereignty and security," Zhang added.

According to the spokesperson, Chinese pilots responded to the incident in a professional and protocol-abiding manner. He called on Canadians to ignore the hype in the media and follow the laws designed to prevent accidents in the air and on the sea.