A Chinese fighter jet deployed flares in front of an Australian military aircraft during a flight over the South China Sea earlier this week, officials in Canberra reported.
Australia’s Defence Ministry stated that it had raised “concerns” with its Chinese counterparts regarding what it described as an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction.”
Despite the incident occurring on Tuesday, no injuries were reported, and Australia’s P-8A surveillance aircraft sustained no damage, according to the ministry.
However, China countered the claim, asserting that the Australian aircraft had “intentionally intruded” into its airspace. Beijing defended its fighter jet’s actions, describing them as “legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrained.”
Ongoing Tensions in the Region
The encounter is the latest in a series of military confrontations between the two nations in a region where China’s expansive territorial claims clash with those of neighboring countries.
Although Australia does not have territorial claims in the South China Sea, it has aligned itself with the U.S. and its allies in rejecting China’s assertions as lacking legal legitimacy.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Incident in South China Sea
China Accuses Australia of Violating Sovereignty
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded by accusing Australia of violating China’s sovereignty, urging Canberra to “stop undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
This latest encounter follows similar incidents in recent years. In May 2023, Australia accused a Chinese fighter jet of releasing flares dangerously close to an Australian navy helicopter participating in a UN Security Council mission over the Yellow Sea.
Later, in November 2023, Canberra alleged that a Chinese naval vessel used sonar pulses in international waters near Japan, resulting in injuries to Australian divers.
Chinese Naval Activity Near Australia
In a separate statement on Thursday, Australian authorities confirmed that they were monitoring three Chinese navy vessels operating to the northeast of the country.
The Defence Ministry noted that these vessels had navigated through Southeast Asia before reaching Australia’s maritime approaches. One of the ships was reported to have entered waters north of the country.
“Australia respects the rights of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, just as we expect others to respect Australia’s right to do the same,” the statement concluded.
