China has warned Australia to stop “provocative” actions in the South China Sea region after a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance plane was dangerously intercepted in an area near the Paracel Islands.
Key points:
- China says interception of RAAF aircraft by its military is safe and reasonable
- He accused Australia of repeatedly spreading false information and defending the confrontation
- Anthony Albanese says the Chinese interception was an act of aggression
It was the first official confirmation from Chinese defense officials that the interception happened.
The Australian Department of Defense revealed on Sunday that a Chinese J-16 fighter jet flew near a RAAF P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft on May 26 while conducting a routine patrol in international airspace.
The defense said the Chinese plane fired flares while flying alongside the RAAF plane, before cutting in front of the P-8 and releasing a bag of “straw” on its flight path.
The department said the “straw” included fragments of aluminum that were sucked into the engine of the Australian plane.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said that while the Australian plane did not enter the international airspace claimed by China near the Paracel Islands, the plane seriously threatened the sovereignty and security of China. China.
Tan Kefei said Australia had spread false information and defended the confrontation. (Provided by the Chinese Department of Defense)
“The measures taken by the Chinese military were professional, safe, reasonable and legal,” Tan said.
“The Australian side has turned black and white, repeatedly spreading false information and defending the confrontation. China strongly opposes it.
“We are warning the Australian side to immediately stop these dangerous and provocative actions and to strictly restrict the actions of the naval and air forces, otherwise it will assume all the serious consequences that result.”
China claims numerous small islands and reefs in the South China Sea and says the area around these outcrops is its territorial waters and airspace.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday that Australia should respect China’s national security interests, without confirming the interception of the Chinese military.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday in Indonesia called the interception of a dangerous act of aggression.
“In the opinion of the Australian government, according to the Department of Defense, this was not certain, what happened, and we have made the appropriate representations to the Chinese government expressing our concern about this,” he said.
Last week, the Canadian military accused Chinese planes of failing to follow international safety standards on several occasions and of endangering a Canadian crew.
A statement said Chinese planes were trying to divert a long-range Canadian patrol plane from its path and that the crew had to change direction quickly to avoid a possible collision.