China has urged Australia to respect its national security concerns and avoid “serious consequences” after a Chinese military plane carried out a “dangerous” interception of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance aircraft.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman declined overnight to comment on the incident involving an RA-P Poseidon P-8A.
He was conducting routine surveillance in the international airspace over the South China Sea on May 26 when a Chinese APL Air Force J-16 aircraft flew “very close”, fired flares and flew. dropping straw in his path, the Australian Department of Defense said.
A P-8 Poseidon aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force was intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet, according to the Department of Defense. (Department of Defense)
But the spokesman insisted that the Chinese military conducted operations in accordance with international law.
“China will never allow any country to violate China’s sovereignty and security in the name of freedom of navigation and jeopardize peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the spokesman said.
“China once again urges the Australian side to seriously respect China’s national security interests and major concerns, and to be cautious with words and deeds, to avoid misjudgments and serious consequences.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during his visit to Jakarta yesterday that the interception was dangerous and threatened the safety of the RAAF plane and its crew.
“We consider China’s actions in this area to be an act of aggression,” Albanese said.
The controversial waters of the South China Sea. (CNN / Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative)
Earlier, Defense Minister Richard Marles said the federal government had expressed concern about the “very dangerous” interception with the Chinese government.
The crew of the RAAF plane was unharmed and returned to base after the incident.
Why the South China Sea dispute is important
The Canadian government has also complained that China has been harassing its military surveillance planes that control North Korea as part of a UN mission.
But China’s Defense Ministry said Canada should stop “any risky and provocative behavior” or face “serious consequences.”
The vast South China Sea has become a major dispute between China and other countries, including Australia.
A Chinese J-16 fighter jet. (Ministry of Defense of China)
Tensions over disputed waters have risen since 2014, as China has turned sandbanks into islands, equipping them with airfields, ports and weapons systems, and warned Western warships and aircraft. that they would move away from them.
There have been other close encounters between Chinese and foreign warplanes over the years.
The worst of them occurred in 2001, when a Chinese fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.
In this case, the pilot of the Chinese F-8 fighter jet died and the American plane had to make an emergency landing on the island of Hainan in China.
The 24 U.S. crew members were detained on the Chinese island for 11 days prior to their release.