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Beijing has warned Canberra to halt “provocative actions” and “inflammatory rhetoric” after a tense encounter between Chinese and Australian military aircraft over the South China Sea reignited diplomatic tensions.
China has issued a sharp warning to Australia following what Canberra described as an “unsafe and unprofessional” mid-air interception involving a Chinese fighter jet and an Australian patrol aircraft.
According to Australia’s Defence Ministry, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon conducting a “routine maritime surveillance patrol” over the South China Sea was intercepted by a Chinese PLA-AF Su-35 fighter jet on Sunday. The Australian government said the Chinese jet “released flares in close proximity” to the RAAF aircraft, endangering its crew.
China, however, rejected the claim, accusing Australia of “distorting facts” and “covering up an illegal intrusion into Chinese airspace.” The Chinese Defence Ministry said in a statement that it had made “stern representations” to Canberra, urging Australia to stop such provocations and “strictly restrain its frontline naval and air forces.”
“We urge the Australian side to immediately cease its provocations and inflammatory rhetoric,” the statement read. “Any further actions undermining China-Australia relations will not be tolerated.”
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles dismissed Beijing’s accusations, insisting that the aircraft was operating “in international airspace, above international waters, and in full compliance with international law.”
The incident threatens to strain the delicate balance Australia has tried to maintain between its biggest trading partner, China, and its closest security ally, the United States. Relations between Beijing and Canberra had only recently improved after years of diplomatic freeze during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China three months ago to strengthen ties, but his recent trip to Washington — where he signed a critical minerals deal aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese rare earth supplies — has drawn Beijing’s attention.
The latest confrontation underscores growing military tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which Defence Minister Marles has described as “the most complex strategic environment since World War II.”
Australia continues to expand its defence capabilities, including plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines through the AUKUS pact with the US and UK. Despite this, Treasurer Jim Chalmers told Bloomberg that Canberra remains optimistic: “It’s possible to engage with the Americans as we have been, while continuing to stabilise and invest in the China relationship.”
