Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed concerns about a recent hazardous military incident involving China, stating that the message has been effectively communicated.
On October 19, a Chinese aircraft released two flares perilously near a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance plane in the South China Sea. This action was described by Defence Minister Richard Marles as “unsafe and unprofessional,” endangering those on board.
Albanese addressed the incident with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, China’s second-most senior leader, during a meeting at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia earlier today.
China responded, urging Australia to “immediately cease its infringing and provocative actions.”
Despite an international tribunal’s 2016 ruling that invalidated China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea, Beijing continues to assert ownership of the region.
Marles maintained that the Australian aircraft was performing a “routine maritime surveillance patrol” within international airspace and over international waters.
“Every moment, our crew was adhering to international law, let me be really clear about that,” he said in response to China’s accusation.
“What occurred on two occasions with the release of those flares being as close as they were, were unsafe and unprofessional.”
Earlier this year, there was a similar incident when a Chinese aircraft dropped flares within 30 metres of an Australian plane in the South China Sea.
