Tension has arisen between Chinese and Australian air force aircraft in the area of the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
A statement from the Chinese army’s Southern Front, which is responsible for the region, alleged that a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft illegally entered “Chinese airspace” in an area that the Chinese call it the “Shisha Islands.”
The report notes that command units, naval and air forces, intercepted the plane and took measures to remove it from the area. According to the Chinese side, Australia’s actions violate China’s sovereignty.
The Australian Department of Defense, in turn, issued a statement claiming that a Russian Su-35 fighter jet belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force performed a dangerous maneuver by firing flares near a maritime patrol aircraft, conducting a reconnaissance flight in the area.
Australia has conducted reconnaissance flights in accordance with international law for decades in the area, which is an important route for maritime trade.
“Freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas is fundamental to Australia’s national interests. We expect the armed forces of all countries, including China, to operate safely and professionally,” said the Australian Department of Defense.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that in connection with the incident, they protested to the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.
South China Sea dispute
The South China Sea has been at the center of disputes since the independence of the littoral countries after the Second World War. sovereignty between countries in the region.
China first claimed 80% of the South China Sea with a map in 1947, but the resource-rich region is also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.
Some countries outside the region, such as the United States and Australia, also oppose China views the South China Sea as its waters and airspace, and defends freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in 2016, following an application from the Philippines, that China’s unilateral claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea are illegal.