Australia aircraft had ‘right’ to watch China navy vessel in its waters, Morrison says
- A patrol plane, which China accused of coming too close to its navy vessel, had the right to ‘keep a close eye’ on threats in Australian waters, PM Morrison said
- His comments on Tuesday came after China’s defence ministry said the Australian plane had dropped a sonobuoy near the Chinese ships and had flown as close as 4km from the convoy
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said an Australian surveillance aircraft was doing its job when it was “put under threat” with a laser from a Chinese navy ship, rejecting Beijing’s assertion the plane came too close.
The P-8A Poseidon, a maritime patrol aircraft, detected a laser emanating from a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel last Thursday, and Australia released photographs of two Chinese vessels sailing close to its north coast.
“Our surveillance planes have every right to be in our exclusive economic zone and keeping a close eye on what people are up to,” Morrison told reporters on Tuesday. “The fact they were put under threat is extremely disappointing.”
China says Australian laser claims are ‘false and malicious’
The Chinese guided missile destroyer and an amphibious transport dock were sailing east through the Arafura Sea between New Guinea and Australia, and later passed through the narrow Torres Strait, Australia’s defence department says.
Beijing says the Chinese ships had a legal right to be in international waters, which Australia has not disputed.
Australia’s defence department said the aircraft was 7.7km from the Chinese naval vessel at the time of the lasing incident, and the closest it flew was 3.9km, which it said was standard for a visual inspection of a vessel.
Morrison said the surveillance plane’s crew “were doing their job”, and repeated his demand for an explanation from Beijing.
China’s ministry of defence on Monday said the Australian surveillance plane had dropped a sonobuoy, which can help detect submarines, near the Chinese ships, and had flown as close as 4km from the convoy, which it said was “provocative and dangerous”.
China’s foreign ministry also released two photos taken by the Chinese warship, saying that the Australian aircraft was very close to the Chinese warship, and placed sonar buoys around it.
Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for the Chinese defence ministry, said the Australian anti-submarine patrol aircraft arrived in the airspace surrounding China’s warship formation and came within 4km of one ship.
“The Chinese warships always maintained safe, standardised and professional operations during the entire encounter with the Australian aircraft,” Tan said.
On Tuesday, Morrison announced separately Australia would spend A$804 million (US$578 million) to buy drones and helicopters and set up mobile stations in Antarctica, because Australia needed to “keep watch” on the region.
He said that China did not share Australia’s objectives in Antarctica, 42 per cent of which is claimed by Australia, and that Beijing wanted to exploit its resources.
“We need to keep eyes in Antarctica because there are others who have different objectives to us, and we need to make sure not just for Australia’s interest, but for the world’s interest, that we protect this incredible environment that we have responsibility for,” he said.
Additional reporting by Amber Wang
