MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Australia has appealed to Beijing through multiple channels after Chinese fighter jets fired flares over international waters, endangering a Royal Australian Navy helicopter, the prime minister said Tuesday. Ta.
of The incident happened on Saturday The Australian air combat destroyer HMAS Hobart is enforcing United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea, officials announced Monday. No injuries or damage were reported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians expected an explanation from China.
“We have just made it very clear to China that this is unprofessional and is not acceptable,” Mr Albanese told Nine Network TV.
“We have made this very clear…through all our channels, through all means at our disposal, including publicly here,” Albanese said. .
He said the Chinese government had not yet made any public comment on the incident.
“It is important to speak up when events like this occur. It is important to make our position clear and this is being done at a diplomatic level, not only between governments but also defense-to-defense. And all those avenues have been made clear. We’ve brought this matter public to say very clearly and unequivocally that this behavior is unacceptable,” the Prime Minister said.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Monday that a Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter jet fired a flare into the flight path of a Royal Australian Navy Seahawk helicopter dispatched from Hobart.
He said the flares were 300 meters (986 feet) in front of the helicopter and 60 meters (197 feet) above the helicopter, and that the helicopter pilot “had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by the flares.” Stated.
“The impact of a direct hit from a flare would have been significant,” Marles said.
He said China’s interceptions were “unsafe and unprofessional.”
“We will not preclude our participation in lawful activities or activities to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea,” Marles added.
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. Australia says China has ignored security warnings to stay away from the Australian frigate Toowoomba.
China maintains that the encounter occurred outside Japan’s territorial waters and that the Chinese warships did not cause any harm.
Albanians invited the Chinese president during his visit to China in early November Xi Jinping Relations between the two countries have improved from an unprecedented slump in recent years, and he will be visiting Australia for the first time in 10 years. He said on Tuesday that Mr Xi would not visit Australia this year.
But Albanese said he expected “some direct engagement” with Chinese leaders when they attend the G20 and APEC summits later this year.
