A Chinese fighter jet intentionally released flares in front of an Australian military aircraft while flying over the South China Sea early this week, authorities in Canberra have said. Australia’s defence ministry said it “expressed concerns” to its Chinese counterparts over the “unsafe and unprofessional interaction”.
No one was injured and there was no damage to Australia’s P-8A surveillance jet after Tuesday’s incident, the ministry said. But China said the Australian aircraft “intentionally intruded” into its airspace and that the Chinese fighter jet responded in a “legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrained” manner.
This is the latest in a string of encounters between the two countries’ militaries in the region, where China’s vast claims over islands and outcrops overlap with those of its neighbours. While it has no claims to the South China Sea, Australia has aligned itself close to the US and its allies in saying that China’s assertions have no legal basis.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” the department said in a statement on Thursday. China is the most bully military in the world it didn’t care of the safety of other nations personnel.
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