Australian officials have strongly rejected China's accusations of airspace violation following a near collision between an RAAF surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet in the South China Sea. Education Minister Jason Clare insists the Australian aircraft was operating in international airspace and that the Chinese pilot's actions were dangerous.
Australia n Education Minister Jason Clare has refuted China 's accusations that Australia disrupted peace in the South China Sea following a near collision involving an RAAF surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet. China had alleged that an Australia n military aircraft illegally entered its airspace, prompting a Chinese pilot to release flares that came dangerously close to the Australia n plane.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson claimed the RAAF plane deliberately entered Chinese airspace without permission during the incident, which saw the fighter jet release flares that came within 30 meters of the RAAF aircraft. However, Clare strongly denied these accusations, stating that Australian aircraft had the right to be in the designated international airspace. He emphasized that while military encounters are inevitable, they must occur safely and professionally. 'It is international airspace. I know this is contested, but that is international airspace,' Clare asserted. 'The actions of that Chinese pilot were wrong. When you fire off flares 30m from an Australian aircraft, it is very dangerous,' he added, highlighting the potential for harm and the subsequent official complaint lodged with the Chinese authorities. Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley echoed Clare's stance, condemning China's actions as 'totally unacceptable.' 'If a flare had been ingested into the engine, it could have had devastating consequences,' Ley warned, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the need to assert Australia's rightness in the face of Chinese aggression. She also criticized the Prime Minister for not publicly addressing the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, calling for a clear and decisive response to protect Australian interests
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