Australia accuses China of “unsafe” maneuvers by military aircraft

Australia has accused a Chinese warplane of firing missiles “in close proximity” to its patrol plane over the South China Sea.

The Australian government raised its concerns with Beijing about the “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuver, the defense ministry said in a statement on Monday.

There was no damage to the Australian P-8A aircraft and its personnel were unharmed after Sunday’s collision.

“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their military in a safe and professional manner,” the Australian Defense Force said.

A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry was unaware of the incident when asked by reporters.

It is the latest in a series of clashes between the two countries’ militaries in the region, where China’s vast claims to islands and outcrops overlap with those of its neighbors.

Sunday’s incident also came as the Australian prime minister was heading to the US for a meeting with President Donald Trump, where the two leaders are expected to discuss Aukus, a multibillion-dollar submarine deal between Australia, the US and the UK.

Australia has too accused a Chinese plane of launching missiles near an Australian aircraft in the area in February. At the time, China said the Australian plane had deliberately invaded its airspace and that its response was “lawful and restrained”.

Although it has no claim to the South China Sea, Australia has joined the US and its allies in saying China’s claims have no legal basis.

In May last year, Australia accused a Chinese fighter jet of firing missiles near an Australian navy helicopter that was part of a UN Security Council mission in the Yellow Sea off the Korean coast.

In November 2023, Canberra accused Beijing’s navy of using sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, resulting in injuries to Australian divers.