Canada says it’s raised issue of China’s recent ‘concerning’ aerial behaviour through diplomatic channels

Canada believes China showed “very concerning and unprofessional” behaviour while harassing its patrol aircraft near North Korea, Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday, but she declined to comment when asked whether she had raised the issue with her Chinese counterpart.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier security meeting, Anand said the issue had been raised through diplomatic channels.

Asked whether she had spoken to Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, who is also at the meeting, Anand said: “I am meeting with a number of counterparts while I am here.”

Canada’s military accused Chinese warplanes this month of harassing its patrol aircraft as they monitored North Korea sanction evasions, sometimes forcing Canadian planes to divert from their flight paths.

China’s defence ministry said Canadian military jets have stepped up reconnaissance and “provocations” against China “under the pretext” of implementing UN Security Council resolutions, endangering China’s national security.

“The interceptions by the Chinese of our (aircraft) are very concerning and unprofessional and we need to ensure that the safety and security of our pilots is not at risk, especially when they are simply monitoring as required under UN-sanctioned missions,” Anand said.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told the meeting earlier on Saturday that there had been an “alarming” increase in the number of unsafe and unprofessional encounters between Chinese planes and vessels with those of other countries.