KYIV. UkraineGate , 5 , June , 2022 | World News.
The Royal Australian Air Force reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese fighter in the South China Sea, the Australian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday .
Details
The RAAF P-8 naval reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter during a “routine naval reconnaissance” in the region’s international airspace on May 26, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“As a result of the interception, a dangerous maneuver was carried out, which endangered the safety of the P-8 aircraft and its crew,” the ministry added.
It said the Australian government had expressed concern about the incident to the Chinese government.
The Ministry of Defense stated that it has been conducting maritime surveillance in the region for decades and “does so in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and flight in international waters and airspace.”
What preceded
Earlier, Australia joined the United States, saying that China’s claims to the disputed islands in the South China Sea are not in line with international law.
Relations between Australia and China, China’s main trading partners, have recently been strained by growing Chinese influence in the Pacific after the latter sought a regional security agreement with Pacific island nations.
Also in May, a Chinese reconnaissance ship was discovered off the west coast of Australia within 50 nautical miles of a secret defense facility used by Australian, American and Allied submarines.
In February, China and Australia exchanged accusations over an incident in which Australia claimed that one of its patrol planes had detected a laser aimed at a birch from a ship of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
Source: Ukrgate
