BEIJING: China and Australia traded accusations over an encounter involving helicopters above the Yellow Sea, the latest such military incident to buffet bilateral ties.
A People’s Liberation Army Navy chopper intercepted an Australian defence force helicopter on March 4 in an "unsafe and unprofessional” manner, Canberra said in a Friday statement. China’s Defence Ministry described the actions of its aircraft as "legitimate, reasonable and professional.”
Australia said its MH-60R helicopter took off from the frigate HMAS Toowoomba in international waters under Operation Argos, part of permitted efforts to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea. There were no injuries or damage from the encounter, the government said.
China said HMAS Toowoomba has repeatedly deployed helicopters to conduct "close-in reconnaissance,” endangering the country’s national security.
China is Australia’s top trading partner, and the two sides have patched up ties after a deterioration during the pandemic. At the same time, the US is Australia’s closest security ally, leaving Canberra with a delicate balancing act.
A mid-air encounter between a PLA-AF Su-35 fighter jet and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon sparked a heated bilateral exchange in October last year, spurring a warning from China to Canberra to quit aircraft provocations. - Bloomberg
