Australia PM blasts China for ‘unacceptable’ use of flares near military helicopter
- Anthony Albanese said the Australian defence personnel were operating in international airspace enforcing UN sanctions on North Korea
- ‘The Australian military aircraft flew near China’s airspace in a threatening way,’ a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday
The Chinese air force J-10 jet dropped flares above and several hundred metres ahead of an Australian MH60R Seahawk helicopter on a routine flight on Saturday in the Yellow Sea as part of an operation to enforce sanctions against North Korea, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Monday evening.
China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the necessary measures had been taken to warn the Australian helicopter. “The Australian military aircraft flew near China’s airspace in a threatening way,” said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “China military took necessary measures to warn the Australian side.”
China has also been accused of unsafe behaviour in the skies by other countries, including Canada and the United States.
Albanese said Australia’s had made representations over the incident. “This issue, we have made public in order to be able to speak out very clearly and unequivocally that this behaviour is unacceptable,” he told Nine’s Today Show.
