Australia has accused China of engaging in a dangerous and unacceptable act of aggression

 

Australia has accused China of engaging in a dangerous and unacceptable act of aggression after a Chinese fighter jet fired flares into the path of an Australian Navy helicopter over international waters in the Yellow Sea. The incident occurred on May 6, 2024, and has sparked a diplomatic row between the two nations.

According to the Australian Defense Ministry, the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter was on patrol enforcing United Nations sanctions on North Korea when the Chinese jet dropped flares about 300 meters in front of the helicopter and 60 meters above it. The move put the lives of the helicopter crew in danger, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the actions "completely unacceptable."

The incident is the latest in a growing list of confrontations between China's military and other nations in international waters. It comes as Canberra and Beijing are pursuing a rapprochement following a bruising few years of trade disputes and strained relations.

The Australian helicopter was operating from the destroyer HMAS Hobart as part of Operation Argos, Canberra's contribution to a multinational effort to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea. The crew of three was on a routine patrol when the Chinese jet fired the flares.

Albanese said the Australian crew was in international waters and airspace, and was doing work to ensure that the sanctions on North Korea were enforced. "They shouldn't have been at any risk while they engaged in that behavior," he said.

The prime minister added that "appropriate diplomatic representations" have been made with Beijing, and that Australia has made it clear to China that the actions were unprofessional and unacceptable.

China has not issued any statements about the incident, but has previously defended its actions in similar encounters with other nations. In October, a Chinese fighter jet fired flares at a Canadian military helicopter over the South China Sea, and in June 2022, a Chinese fighter jet released flares and chaff that entered the engines of an Australian P-8A flying in international waters over the South China Sea.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has urged Albanese to call Chinese leader Xi Jinping to express Canberra's concerns over the latest incident, as well as a long list of Chinese encounters with Australian and allied aircraft and ships. Dutton warned that there will be a miscalculation by someone flying a Chinese jet or on the deck of a Chinese naval ship, and that something will happen, and that's what Australia and other countries in the region are worried about.

The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of Australian and allied personnel in the region, and the need for China to respect international law and norms. The Australian Defense Ministry has said that the actions of the Chinese jet were "unsafe and non-standard," and that the move put the lives of the helicopter crew in danger.

The incident is a reminder of the tensions between China and other nations in the region, and the need for diplomacy and dialogue to prevent miscalculations and ensure peace and stability.