MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday refused. China’s claims Australia has claimed responsibility for a dangerous encounter between its military aircraft in international airspace over the Yellow Sea over the weekend.
China and Australia both publicly protested and accused each other on Saturday of the use of unusual flares by Chinese fighter jets against a Royal Australian Navy helicopter.
Australian officials said the Seahawk pilot had to take “evasive maneuvers” to avoid a Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter jet that dropped flares in the helicopter’s flight path.
There were no injuries or damage, but experts warned that if the engine had been hit by a flare, the helicopter could have been forced to make a forced landing at sea.
Australia accused China of unprofessional and unacceptable conduct, but China countered that the Seahawk deliberately approached Chinese airspace in a “provocative action”.
Mr Albanese said he rejected China’s claims that Australia was at fault.
He emphasized a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian that the helicopter “flighted close to Chinese airspace.”
“This confirms that this helicopter was in international airspace,” Mr Albanese told Perth Radio 6PR.
Mr Albanese also pointed out that the helicopter complied with international law at the time as part of the crew of an Australian air combat destroyer that was enforcing UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.
“This was unprofessional and unacceptable. And the Chinese spokesperson’s comments do not undermine or call into question the Australian Defense Force’s assessment of the People’s Liberation Army’s dangerous actions,” Albanese said. said, referring to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
China’s Ministry of Defense also accused the Australian destroyer of sending a helicopter mission to conduct “close reconnaissance and interference” of a Chinese naval training exercise.
China issued a warning and forced them to leave, according to ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang. He insisted that the measures were legal and in accordance with international law.
“I firmly oppose the Australian side’s statement, which confuses black and white and makes baseless counterclaims,” Zhang said in a statement.
The Australian government did not immediately respond to suggestions of Chinese spying.
This was the most serious conflict between the two countries’ militaries since Australia condemned the Chinese destroyer CNS Ningbo. Australian Navy diver injured Based on sonar pulses in Japanese waters in November.
Mr Albanese said weekend talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is visiting Australia next month, would be covered.
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Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
