MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia protested to Beijing that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares in international waters, officials said Monday.
The incident occurred on Saturday as the Australian air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart was enforcing United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea, the Defense Department said in a statement.
A Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter dropped flares into the flight path of an Australian Navy Seahawk positioned in Hobart, 300 meters (986 feet) in front of the helicopter and 60 meters (197 feet) above, Defense Minister Richard Marles said. .
“This was an unsafe and unprofessional incident,” Marles told Nine News television.
“We will not be deterred from engaging in lawful activities and activities that exist to enforce UN sanctions on North Korea,” Marles added.
There were no injuries or damage, the Defense Department said, adding that the Australian government had expressed concerns to the Chinese government. There was no immediate comment from Beijing on Monday.
It was the most serious encounter between the two nations’ forces since Australia accused the Chinese destroyer CNS Ningbo of injuring Australian navy divers with sonar pulses in Japanese waters in November last year. Australia said China ignored a security warning to stay away from the Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba.
China maintains that meeting happened outside Japanese territorial waters and that the Chinese warship did not cause any damage.
Chinese president Xi Jinping plans to visit Australia this year for the first time in a decade, as bilateral relations have improved in recent years from unprecedented levels.
